


But I’m Not

by paperprincess



Series: Shoujo Jump [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Canon Typical Violence, F/F, F/M, Female Naruto, I actually just added all possible ships so far lmao, Oblivious!Sasuke, Slow Burn, everyone gets a shippy moment, fem!naruto, honestly my editing is so minimal please tell me if i miss something, im sorry, no betas we die like men, not useless! sakura, tags will be added as the story progresses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-23
Updated: 2018-09-28
Packaged: 2019-05-27 04:44:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 137
Words: 215,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15016937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/paperprincess/pseuds/paperprincess
Summary: Basically, I’m a shoujo person, and this is Naruto, but if Naruto were a Shoujo and not a Shonen.I’m trash.also this was inspired by another work i read on here but now i can’t find it to finish reading it so i’m writing one~~~Naruto laid in bed, blood trickling from his mouth. he was dying. He looked at the ceiling. he had so many regrets. The Fox within him stirred.“If you could do it all again, would you?” The demon hissed. “if i told you you could start over, different this time, would you take that chance? Start from scratch- do it over, better this time. Would you do it?”He thought of all his mistakes, his fallen comrades. The people he’d failed to save.“Yes.” he said, blood bubbling at his lips. The Kyuubi laughed maniacally.“Good, good.”





	1. Naru, and the beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Stick with me here.

Naru awoke with a start. She pulled her sleeping cap off her short blonde hair and yawned. She’d had that damn dream again. The same one as always.

She was some old man, and she was dying, and… she agreed to start over? 

She shook her head clear. She wasn’t some old guy. She was a twelve year old girl. She was a Kunoichi, and she was a Genin. A totally kick ass one at that! She grinned at herself in the mirror, her blue eyes bright, even though she’d just woken up. She pulled on her orange tracksuit bottoms, a black tank, and her usual orange jacket over the top. she always left it unzipped nowadays, cause she wore her headband as a choker. it made more sense to her that way. Everyone always told her she had a thick skull, but no bones protected her veins in her neck. She pulled on her sandals and decided to go get some ramen for breakfast. 

She’d barely made it halfway down the street before she was accosted by three kids. Konohamaru's little gang. She grinned.

“Naru-Sempai! Naru-Sempai! What are you gonna do today?” The honourable grandson asked, grabbing her arm and jumping up and down.

“Well I’m gonna grab some breakfast, then I have to meet with Kakashi-Sensei. Would you like to come get food with me?” she offered. All three looked thrilled.

“Yeah, duh!!” The kids exclaimed. Before they could go anywhere, however, Sakura came strutting up to them. She looked like she was already in a bad mood. Naru liked Sakura a lot, but Sakura didn’t seem to feel the same. She guessed they were rivals, but she didn’t feel pressure from her pink-haired comrade. Not like she did from Sasuke or Shikamaru. 

“Oi! Sakura-Chan! Wanna get breakfast with us?” Naru asked, grinning at her teammate. Sakura frowned.

“Ugh, no. I was just looking for Sasuke-Kun, I thought you might be with him. we have to meet Kakashi-Sensei soon, and i thought-“ Sakura blushed, “I thought he and I could walk together,”

“Stupid!” Konohamaru spat, “Sasuke-Sama is Naru-Sempai’s boyfriend! He’d never wanna date a girl like you! Your forehead is too big!”

“Sasuke is NOT my boyfriend!” Naru shouted, the same time Sakura started giving the little kid a noogie. 

“THATS WHAT YOU’RE MAD ABOUT?” Sakura bellowed.

“What? Was I supposed to say you don’t have a massive forehead?”

This was, clearly, the wrong thing to say. Sakura had gained an evil gleam in her eye as she scowled at them all. Naru held back a laugh at the shadow that crossed over her teammate’s face.

“C’mon guys! Run!” Naru shouted, and they all took off.

“No wonder Sasuke doesn’t like you!” Konohamaru spat over his shoulder. Naruto snorted, but screeched to a halt when The Hokage’s grandson crashed into a tall boy dressed in all black. 

“I’m sorry-“ the little boy started, but before he could finish apologizing the other boy heaved the struggling child into the air. His face was painted in purple stripes, and a blonde girl stood beside him, exasperated.

“You’ll pay for that, Brat!” The stranger spat. He had an evil, angry look on his face, like he enjoyed the little boy’s pain.

“Hey!” Naru shouted, “Drop Konohamaru right now!”

The boy turned to Naru, and his eyes slid over her. He sneered. “Or you’ll do what? I’d love to see you try anything, twerp,” Naru blushed at the way he was looking at her, but stood her ground all the same.

“Put him down or I swear I’ll break you in half,” she threatened. He laughed humorlessly. 

“Tell ya what, I’ll put him down for a kiss lil tomboy,” The girl next to him groaned and said something, but Naru couldn’t hear over the pounding of blood in her ears. She was about to spit in his face when her eyes landed on Konohamaru. He looked so scared and in pain. She sighed.

“Drop him and I will,”

“Sure thing,” The boy laughed, dropping Konohamaru and stepping forward. Just before Naru could move any closer a rock flew out of nowhere and struck the boy in the head. He flinched and spun around. Sasuke was perched in the tree, clutching another rock.

“No one is touching anyone,” He barked, glaring at the boy. The boy pulled the massive bandaged object from his back and set it down in front of him. The bandages began to unravel as the Sand ninja girl started to protest.

“Kankuro! You’re really gonna bring out Crow for this?”

“Stay out of it Temari,” the boy snarled, before looking back at Sasuke. “Who are you? her boyfriend?” The stranger, Kankuro, shouted. Both Sasuke and Naru turned red. Sasuke wrinkled his nose in disgust.

“He isn’t my boyfriend! Ew!” Naru snapped. The boy turned back to look at Naru, smiling.

“So then where’s my kiss? We had a deal little tomboy,”

“Kankuro, Stop,” came a new voice. A boy was in the tree, on the side away from Sasuke, hanging upside down with his arms crossed. His hair was red, like blood, with dull green eyes rimmed in black. He had a kanji tattooed on his forehead. Naruto couldn’t quite read it upside down in the shade. he was also carrying something on his back. A large gourd. 

“G-Gaara! I wasn’t doing anything! I swear!” Kankuro yelped. Whoever he was, this new boy obviously terrified Kankuro.

The boy frowned. “You’re an embarrassment to our village,” 

Something deep inside her stomach stirred at the sight of the boy, as he moved to stand by his team. He was a little taller than Naru, and now he was standing in front of her, she saw his tattoo clearly.

Love.

Her heart skipped a beat. This boy… there was something about him that made Naru need to know more.

“Don't forget what we’re here for,” He said to his teammates. They all turned to leave.

Before they could go, Sakura cried out.

“Wait! The leaf and the sand may be allies, but free passage between villages is forbidden unless you have permission! Why are you here?”

The girl, Temari? Answered. “Gosh, you don’t know?” she snorted. Naru felt anger well up again in her stomach. How dare this girl talk down to her teammate? Only she could do that! “We’re here to take the chunin exam. We have permission,” she held a passport aloft for them all to see. Naru panicked as they all turned to leave again.

“Wait! What’s your name?”

Kankuro turned around hopefully, “Me?”

Naru shook her head, “No, I know your name, I want to know his,” And she pointed at Gaara. 

“Gaara, of the desert,” He looked at her, dismissively, obviously contemptuous. She felt her heart fall a little. He didn’t care who she was. 

“I’m interested in you, who are you?” He asked, glaring up at Sasuke. 

“Sasuke Uchiha, and you better be careful around here,” He gestured at Naru, sneering. “Psychos run wild,”

The red headed boy looked back at her. “Who are you, then?”

“Naru Uzamaki,” She said, her heart beating like a war drum. He had so much… power. she could feel it, like Kiba could smell pheromones, she could tell when someone was stronger than they looked. 

“Stay out of my way, Naru,”

She looked straight into his eyes, and for a moment, neither of them blinked. Then he turned, and they all left. She waited until they were out of sight before turning back to her teammates.

“We have to get into those exams!” She shouted, clenching a fist in front of her face. Sakura sighed.

“You can’t just sign up to take them Naru, your Sensei needs to recommend you! You should have paid more attention in class,”

“Class smlash! I’m gonna get Kakashi-Sensei to recommend us!” Naru said, jumping up and down. Sakura rolled her eyes. Sasuke was still sulking in the tree.

“You weren’t really gonna kiss him, were you Naru?” Konohamaru asked, nervously. Naru looked down at him and smiled.

“To keep you safe I’d lay my life on the line, forget a measly kiss,”

“But your first kiss?” Asked Udon, looking up at her in wonder. Naru blushed.

“I… Maybe my first… Voluntary one,” She answered, glancing up at Sasuke, who was looking away, his ears pink, “But it’s a small price to pay for your safety,”

“Why not just fight him? You’re always charging into everything half cocked anyway!” Sasuke snapped, looking back at her. She stuck her tongue out at him.

“Maybe i’m turning over a new leaf, Teme,” she wrinkled her nose, “and don’t call me psycho,”

“Whatever, Dobe,” He snapped, looking away again.

“C’mon,” Sakura growled, obviously upset about Sasuke’s first kiss being stolen by someone so ungrateful as Naru, “We’ll be late for Kakashi-sensei,”

“No we won’t,” Naru groaned, putting her hands behind her head, “He’s always at least twenty minutes late, we have plenty of time,”

~~~


	2. Gaara, mind stuck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaara... nothing makes sense. Stick with me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know this is bad

Why Gaara had warned the annoying girl to stay away from him, he had no idea. He knew that he couldn’t kill all of those people, not in broad daylight, not in public, but all the same, he couldn’t resist thinking about the blonde. He wanted… He wanted… her blood. Her dying groans, her pleading for mercy.

“If that dumb black haired kid hadn’t interrupted, I woulda got that girl’s first kiss,” He whined, re-sharpening a knife for the Crow. Temari rolled her eyes.

“Ew, Kankuro, you’re disgusting. She wasn’t even pretty,”

“She was cute!” Kankuro mused, “You’re just jealous cause she was burning up for me but the black haired kid didn’t look at you once!”

Temari whacked her brother over the head. Gaara left the room. His urge to kill his brother was stronger than usual today. He couldn’t jeopardize the mission by killing him. He wanted to kill more than just his annoying older siblings. To do that, he had to wait.

When he closed his eyes, and saw hers. Massive, blue, focused. He imagined them filled with terror. Yes, that’s what he wanted. Her fear, her blood. Mother wanted her blood. That’s why he felt such a pull to her. He wanted to throw her down, see fear in those big bright eyes, and crush her. 

His mind showed him her face again, her laugh, her smile. He felt something thrum in his chest. He looked down, surprised. Was his heart beating… differently? Faster? How strange. He must be excited to kill this girl. 

And so he stood there, in the dark, fantasising about how it would happen. He’d never had to wait like this before. He guessed that was why she was so stuck in his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru song: Angel of Small Death and the Codiene Scene, Hozier
> 
> Gaara: Perhaps Vampires is a Bit Strong But... The Arctic Monkeys
> 
> Please don’t be mean to me i’m soft


	3. Naru, How do you Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru buys Sasuke lunch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m drunk again

“How lucky is it that Kakashi-sensei already enrolled us in the chunin exams? I didn’t even need to beg!” Naru beamed. Sakura rolled her eyes.

“It’s not lucky. It’s a result of our hard work on missions. Kakashi-Sensei must have a lot of faith in us,” She glanced at Sasuke, who was walking ahead of them with his hands in his pockets.

“Hey Teme! I bet I pass and you don’t,” Naru teased, trying to goad a response from her best friend. He didn’t turn.

“Unlikely, Dobe, after all, you have to actually be a strong ninja to be a chunin,” 

“Oh? You don’t think I’m strong? You’ll eat your words when I’m Hokage some day,”

“The day you become Hokage, I’ll eat my word and my headband,” Sasuke said, turning to look over his shoulder at Naru. Sakura rolled her eyes.

“Do you two ever stop bickering?”

“I sleep sometimes,” Naru joked, elbowing Sakura. Sakura laughed. Sasuke leapt upwards into the trees and left, toward the Uchiha compound.

“Oh really? I thought you were always just taking notes really close to your paper in class,”

“Me? Sleep in class? Me? Never!” Naru laughed, putting her hands behind her head. Her stomach grumbled. “Hey guys, I'm gonna go grab some ramen. Wanna come Sakura?”

“Nah, my mother is cooking stew tonight,” She said. Naru frowned. 

“Oh. Okay. I’ll see you later,” she said, turning down a different path from her red-clad friend and waving. Sakura didn’t hesitate as long as Naru did. 

Naru thrust her hands in her pockets and sighed. She turned, gravel crunching underfoot as she did so, and made her way to the ramen hut.

By the time her food had been set in front of her, she’d sensed someone just outside her range of sight, eyes on her back. She turned. She couldn’t see anyone, but she could feel a presence that was familiar. 

“Who’s there?” She asked, bemusedly. There was a little shuffling and Sasuke entered the tent.

“Just me, Naru,”

“Oh, were you practicing your stealth? You’re not as good as you think you are,”

“You’re the only one who thinks so,” Sasuke sat next to her, “even Kiba can’t tell when I’m following him half the time,”

“Yeah, well, maybe those are the days when you shower, cause I can smell ya from a mile away,” she joked, wrinkling her nose. She could have sworn the corner of Sasuke’s mouth twitched.

“No, but, seriously, how do you always know when there are people around? Is it a jutsu or…”

“I don’t know. I’ve always been able to tell when people i know are near. It’s useless if I haven’t met the person who’s following me though,” Naru shrugged, “Maybe it’s like Akamaru, ya know how he can sense chakra levels or whatever?”

“That’s not likely Dobe, you’re too much of a knucklehead to have a skill like that,”

Naru laughed and snapped her chopsticks apart. “Hey, I’ll buy you dinner, order something!” 

“No, I’ll buy my own dinner Naru,”

“No, seriously Teme, lemme buy you dinner,” Naru insisted. Sasuke shrugged, and She beamed. She ordered a beef ramen for him, forgetting that she’d told him to pick something, and waited for him to get his before starting her own. Sasuke had an odd look in his eyes as she happily slurped down her noodles.

“Hey, Dobe?”

“What?”

“Were you really gonna kiss that sand nin?”

Naru looked at him, surprised. She shrugged, scratching the back of her head. “Yeah, I mean, it’d be better than endangering the kids by fighting him, I didnt know how strong he was, he coulda really hurt Konohamaru,” she looked at the ceiling, “And kissing isn’t that big a deal. I mean, we kissed by accident before we were on team seven. I’d rather kiss someone I don’t like than get someone I love hurt, it wasn’t gonna cost me anything-“

Sasuke gripped his chopsticks so hard they broke. “You should have more respect for yourself as a Konoichi. You should have fought him. You’ve charged into battle foolishly before,”

“Huh?” Naru was bewildered by how angry Sasuke was about this. He seemed really upset.

“What makes that situation any different from the land of waves? When you charged into the mirror prison to try to help me without thinking it through?”

“Well, Haku wasn’t asking me to hold his hand in exchange for your freedom then, was he?” Naru snapped, pointing her chopsticks at him. He blushed. “Just because I act rashly sometimes doesn’t mean I always do, and if there’s a way to get everyone out of a bad situation without anyone getting hurt, that’s the first thing I’m gonna try. Don’t think for one second that if it came down to it I wouldn’t have pulverised that guy,” she turned back to her ramen. “you should ask for a new pair of chopsticks, your food will get cold if you leave it much longer,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: This Year, The Mountain Goats
> 
> Sasuke: Brave as a Noun, The Mountain Goats
> 
> this chapter is just the mountain goats


	4. Sasuke, Why? does it bother you or Something?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hey i think i’m an alcoholic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sasuke has feelings and dislikes it

Sasuke was relieved that Naru hadn’t caught on to why he was really following her. He didn’t want her to know he was making sure that guy didn’t come back. He couldn’t quite understand why, but the thought of that guy ever even so much as looking at Naru again made him want to incinerate him and his whole squad. Especially him though, with his stupid cat ear hood, and bandaged corpse-like thing on his back. 

He couldn’t quite peg the reason why.

Naru was grinning, babbling on about her shuriken practice, and how she had been practicing her clones of other people. 

“Of course I have myself down, but I tried to do Kakashi-Sensei the other day and it wasn’t even close! It’s so hard cause he hides his face, and I don’t know what the angles are like under there, you know?”

“Hnn,” Sasuke couldn’t help but keep his eyes fixed on her face. They were friends. Best friends. Not that he’d ever admit it. And Naru was a skilled konoichi, despite his teasing. He wasn’t blind. He knew how hard she practiced. He knew she wasn’t naturally talented. Every bit of skill she honed, she worked twice as hard for than anyone else. It was part of the reason she seemed to have so much trouble with the theoretical aspect of Ninjutsu. She just couldn’t practice theory until she passed out. That was the only training she was interested in- the kind that would grind her seemingly limitless energy into the ground.

“And since you’re so great at it, I thought you could give me some tips, I mean, how do you muffle your footsteps? is it heel-toe? or toe-heel? and what do you think of chakra as a cushion for the footfalls? I think that’s how Kakashi-sensei keeps his so deadly silent, by controlling the chakra and muffling the steps as he takes them. What do you think?”

“I think you’re just too clumsy to be quiet. anyone who would send you on stealth missions is a fool,”

“Sasuke-Kun! That’s a serious question!”

“What did you just call me?”

“Teme, I called you by your name,” Naru said, unabashed. She handed over some money to the Ramen vendor, and stood, “I have to go, I’m going to go practice my footstep theory,” she grinned mischievously, “if I figure it out I have the perfect prank to play on Kakashi-sensei,”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, I’ll see you later Teme!”

And she left, leaving Sasuke staring into his cold noodles and wondering if he’d heard her right. her voice rang in his ears. 

“Sasuke-Kun!” 

Lots of girls called him that. Sakura always called him that. Why was it so shocking to hear it come from her?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke: From Eden, Hozier
> 
> Naru: Double Bubble Trouble, MIA
> 
> (cause she’s fuckin these kids up)
> 
> I need a new hobby


	5. Naru, What the hell is that?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru scares Kiba and finds out she has a tattoo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgive me Daddy cause i sinned

Naru spent the rest of the day in the woods, practicing her stealth. Kiba passed by walking Akamaru, and she couldn’t help but call out and scare him. He swore and fell out of the tree he was in, and she fell out of hers laughing. 

“Naru-San you pain in the neck! what are you doing?”

“Training!” she laughed, grinning at him. she got up and offered him a hand. He took it and she heaved him to his feet. 

“Hey, are you gonna take the chunin exam? Kuranai-Sensei entered us for it,” The boy said, looking down at Naru. He was more than a head taller than her. She grinned. 

“Yeah! I’m gonna kick this exam’s ass!”

“You’ve never kicked an exam’s ass in your life knucklehead!” Kiba barked, laughing in earnest now. Naru blushed.

“Well this one is different! i’ve decided if i’m gonna be hokage then i’m gonna start actually studying,”

“Yeah, sure,” Kiba rolled his eyes, “Well, I’ll see you later Naru-San,”

“Bye Kiba-Chan!” She laughed, waving as he and Akamaru jumped away.

After that, she felt a familiar stirring in her stomach. She frowned. It always happened like this. She expended chakra, got self conscious or hurt and suddenly her stomach felt like something was moving in it. It was subtle, but it was there.

She pulled her tank top up, revealing her stomach, and…

A seal was burned into her skin, charred and black, angry and slightly raised on her skin. She gasped. What was that? When did it happen? Had it always been there?

Her heart thumped hard against her ribs. Her stomach dropped. How did she not know? She pulled her shirt down quickly, and looked around, dizzy. Why was it suddenly there? She’d never noticed it before.

There was only one person who she trusted enough to talk to about this. She had to find Iruka-Sensei.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Im Not Calling You a Liar, Florence and the Machine
> 
> Kiba: just... say ‘is this bitch serious’ out loud to yourself and that the #mood


	6. Gaara, Mind Machine Broke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaara i can’t stop thinking about this chick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i can’t stop

Gaara stood, quiet in the corner of the room as his siblings talked to their teacher. He looked out the window. This place was so cold compared to Suna. the breeze brought the smell of the forest, the trees offered their shade. This place was giving. The desert gave nothing to anyone. The wind there brought nothing but sandstorms and there was nothing that would give you shade save what you made yourself. Sand was all there was. The sand swallowed buildings and people alike, it would take without being bidden.

He gave nothing to anyone. He only took. No one gave anything to him. He was the desert. He was the sand. The blonde girl flashed into his vision again. She was this place. She gave her smiles and her laughs. She would give for that weak little runt in the blue scarf, she would shade him from harm. 

People like that needed to die. Everyone on this earth should be forced to fend for themselves as he had. No one should be freely given anything. He was the desert, and he would take her like the desert, he would swallow her life whole. Her blood was as good as his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gaara: Anklebiters, Paramore


	7. Naru, But did you lie tho

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Excuuuuuuuse me as i daydream about Iruka

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Iruka is a good dad

Naru crashed into the classroom where Iruka stood, lecturing a young girl about her homework. He turned, looking taken aback by the interruption. When he saw her standing there, surprise turned to irritation.

“Naru! You can’t just-“

“I’m sorry Iruka-Sensei! Please! It’s urgent, I really need to speak to you!” Naru shouted, surprising everyone in the room. Her face was red, she was breathless and dishevelled. Some students began to snicker. 

“Uh, can’t it wait Naru-san?”

“No! I’m sorry Iruka-Sensei, but I really need your help!”

Iruka turned red and turned to his class at large. “Okay, uh, for homework practice the techniques we discussed today, and write two paragraphs on the importance of a well balanced team,”

The class groaned and Naru shifted so the children could pass her. She was still heaving for breath, staring at Iruka. He was trying to hide his concern as he called out to the passing students.

“And you! Mitsuki! Keep your handwriting neat this time! I could hardly make out your name on the last assignment!” He shouted as the last girl shuffled out. Naru shut the door behind her.

“Naru-San? What’s wrong? Is this about the Chunin exams? you know you don’t have to take them-“

“What?” Naru said, surprised, “No! i’m gonna ace that exam! I need to talk to you about this!” She lifted her shirt to reveal the quickly fading seal. The colour drained from Iruka’s face.

“Who told you?”

“No one told me anything! I just saw it! It’s on my stomach after all! What the hell is it?”

“Naru-“

“Did you know about this Iruka-Sensei?” Naru asked quietly, pulling her shirt back down. She was struggling to hold back the hurt in her voice. Iruka looked down.

“Naru, it was forbidden to talk about it, I couldn’t-“

“So you did know. I’m not stupid Iruka-Sensei, I know what a seal looks like. I’ve looked into my clan name,”

Iruka paused. Then, as though trying to get it over with before he could change his mind, “You’re the Jinchuriki of the Nine Tailed Fox Naru. It happened when you were a baby,”

“Did.. Did everyone know?”

“Not kids your age, but everyone who was old enough to understand what was going on at the time knows. I’m sorry Naru-“

“So I’m a monster? That’s why everyone… That’s why they all treat me like that?” Tears were welling up in her eyes unbidden. She wiped them away angrily. “I always thought it was because i didn’t have parents that everyone hates me! It’s because I’m a monster! I’m evil!”

“Naru, you’re not a monster. You’re a Ninja of the Hidden Leaf village and you’re a damn good one at that. You aren’t evil just because you have evil in you. we all have evil in us. It’s what you do that makes you good or bad, not what you were born as,” Iruka stepped forward and rested his hand on Naru’s shoulder, “you’ve been given a gift of enormous strength. You can protect those around you. I’m proud of who you are despite everything stacked against you, and i’m excited to see who you’ll grow into. Naru, you’re precious to me, and i have faith in you,”

Naru looked tearfully into Iruka’s face, and he smiled down at her. She rushed forward to hug him. 

“Iruka-Sensei! I’ll make you even more proud! I’m gonna be Hokage one day, and just you watch… I’m gonna save everyone! As many people as the Nine Tails ever hurt, I swear, I’ll save. And I always keep my word!”

Iruka patted her on the head, smiling. “You’re a good kid, Naru. Your heart is in the right place. Get stronger, and you’ll do incredible things,”

“Iruka-sensei, I have one more question…”

“Yes?”

“If Im a jinchuriki, then does that mean my ability to sense people coming and stuff… is that because of the demon?”

Iruka paused. He seemed thoughtful. The silence stretched on for what seemed like an eternity to Naru, before he ventured an answer. “Yes, it’s more than possible you have certain ingrained skills from the Nine Tails, and that with practice you could certainly hone them into useful weapons,” He crossed his arms, leaning against the desk, “But i don’t know enough about Jinchuriki to offer more than that. I think there’s documentation in the library, if you mean to find out more. But i know uh,” Iruka paused to flash Naru a crooked smile, “You might not be up for much reading,” Naru blushed.

“Oh yeah? I betcha i can figure out this whole chakra sensing thing before the Chunin exams!”

“It’s not that i believe you incapable, Naru, it’s just…” Iruka laughed, “I thought you were allergic to books,”

“I’ll show you Iruka-Sensei! I’ll be the strongest Jinchuriki on the planet!” Naru exclaimed, rushing out of the classroom. Iruka shook his head as she left.

“That,” Iruka chuckled, “I have no doubt of,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Iruka: Just... Just lay down and cry a little
> 
> Naru: Interlude: i’m not angry anymore, Paramore


	8. Sakura, She who Eats Books For dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can we just... address the pretty bookworm trope please?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you don’t eat books for breakfast lunch and dinner can you actually be sure you own a Brain™️

Sakura almost dropped her books in surprise. She blinked, then rubbed her eyes. Was she actually seeing this? Naru, her knuckle headed teammate, bent over a massive tome in the Leaf village’s library.

“Naru?” 

The small blonde looked up at her, surprised, then grinned. “Hey Sakura-chan! what’re you up to?”

“I’m just reading up on the history of the Chunin exams. What on earth are you doing in a library?”

“Kinda the same thing… well, i mean, in a way. i’m preparing for them. The exams, i mean. How do you do this all the time? I mean, i just keep reading the same lines over and over. It feels like i’ve been here all night!”

“It’s five in the afternoon,” Sakura said, laughing. 

“What?! No way!” Naru groaned, slamming her forehead down in her book. Sakura set her books down next to her friend and took a seat. 

“Okay, I can help you with this if you teach me some of that Shuriken stuff you do,” she offered, pushing her hair back. Naru raised her eyes hopefully and looked at Sakura.

“Really?! Yeah! That’d be totally awesome!” Her face darkened a little, “but you… you have to promise you won’t hate me or… or tell anyone,”

Sakura was taken aback by her teammate’s sudden seriousness, but agreed all the same. Naru brightened almost immediately. 

“Okay! Here, i have to explain something first,” She took a deep breath, “so, i’m sure you know about the Nine Tailed Fox that attacked the village when we were just babies,”

“Yeah, of course, lots of skilled Ninja died that day,”

“Yeah, well,” Naru pointed at a drawing of a demon seal, “They defeated it by sealing it inside a person, a baby. Me, to be exact,”

Sakura’s heart dropped through her stomach as she stared at Naru. Naru bit her lip.

“Yeah, it was news to me too. Well, it’s not as bad as it sounds. My mum was a genius at seals, i’m possibly the most stable Jinchuriki ever,” Naru looked at her friend, chewing the words in her mouth before she spat them out, “my problem is that there are powers this gives me that i don’t know how to take advantage of. You know how i can always tell when people are coming?”

Sakura shook herself. “Y-yeah, sure,”

“Well turns out the nine tails makes it so i can do that, and a whole lot of other stuff. I heal like nothing else and I have massive chakra reserves,” Naru flipped the page, revealing a list of skills attributed to certain Jinchuriki, as well as personality traits they tended to develop. Aggression was one of them. Sakura felt sick.

“Sakura-Chan, are you okay?” Naru asked, looking nervous, “You promised you wouldn’t hate me,”

“I don’t hate you Naru,” Sakura said, looking full into those blue eyes, “this is just a lot to take in all at once,” Naru stared straight into her eyes and furrowed her brow.

“For you? This is a lot for you? I learned this all today too, you know. I’ve spent my whole life being treated differently, like a monster, and the real reason just got dropped on my head like a big ass water balloon. Sakura-chan, please just have some sympathy,”

Sakura blushed, embarrassed. This was her friend, after all, and she owed it to her to be level headed about this. Naru and she had been around each other for years. Naru had never once lost control. Naru was… Naru was her best friend. She looked down at the book.

“Here, i’ll take some notes for you if you open these to the right chapters. I want to know what to expect,” Sakura said, dragging Naru’s book toward her and replacing it with the small pile she’d brought to the table. Naru grinned, giving her a thumbs up.

“Sure thing Sakura-Chan!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sakura: This is What Makes Us Girls, Lana Del Rey
> 
> Naru: Expectations (Overture), Hayley Kiyoko


	9. Naru, But Like... People Are Hot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru has trouble with her emotions and Sasuke doesn’t help at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have issues coping with my own shitty personality

Naru was picking her way home, flipping through Sakura’s notes on Jinchuriki. Most of them had been created as weapons, and raised as assassins. Naru was her own precedent.

None of this would really help her that much. a familiar electric buzz came to her attention.

“I know you’re there, Teme,” she said, turning around and scanning the trees. Sasuke dropped from one probably twenty metres behind her.

“Really? Even with me that far back?” Sasuke groused. Naru folded up her papers and put them in her pocket. She didn’t know why, but she didn’t want Sasuke to know. Not yet.

“Like I said, you really should start showering every day, Teme,” She pinched her nose and laughed. Sasuke’s eyes were fixed on the pocket where she’d shoved Sakura’s notes. Not smooth then, Naru. He noticed.

“Were those from Sakura? I recognise her handwriting,”

“Yeah,” Naru laughed, seizing on an idea, “She was asking me to look over a love letter for her,”

“She wrote a love letter?”

“Yeah but i’m not telling you to who, she told me it’s a secret,”

“I can guess to who, Dobe,” Sasuke said, falling into step with her. She grinned.

“I don’t think you can. You’re too full of yourself,”

“Oh? C’mon, everyone knows about how she feels. I don’t even care and i know,”

“Well she’s moved on,” Naru teased. Might as well create some jealousy for Sakura, I owe her one anyway. Sasuke snorted.

“I’d be relieved if I believed it,”

“What? You really don’t like her at all? C’mon, She’s exactly the kinda girl everyone should like. She’s pretty, she’s smart, she has her heart in the right place. Hell, i even had a crush on her,”

Sasuke blanched. “You had a what? You… You’re-“

Naru shrugged. “C’mon, everyone gets crushes on girls. They’re magic,”

“No, most girls do not get crushes on other girls Naru,”

“You wouldn’t know, you don’t have any female friends,”

“Neither do you, in fact, you don’t have friends at all, Dobe,”

“Fair point,” Naru conceded. She looked away. She wasn’t sure about the way Sasuke was looking at her. It made her feel awkward when he stared.

“Do you like guys?” Sasuke asked, all at once, like he was trying to say it all before he could think better of it. Naru looked back at him.

“Yeah, i guess. I like everyone,”

“That’s not what i meant,” Sasuke stared at her, too intense. She looked away quickly.

“I’ve had crushes on guys and girls, I guess. Can you be both?”

“Maybe, No one ever really talks about… about liking the same as you,”

“I know, it’s almost like it’s a big secret nobody wants to own up to,” Naru shrugged. She met Sasuke’s eyes again. He was staring through her. She half expected to see Sharingan. “do you like both?”

Sasuke shook his head slowly. “I don’t like anyone at all,” Sasuke said. Naru knew it was true. Sasuke never interacted with anyone unless he couldn’t help it. Well, besides her, she guessed, but that was because they were rivals.

“I never really knew what all the fuss was about, you know, with girls and boys and dating. I guess I’ve just got other stuff on my mind,”

Naru laughed. Sasuke looked almost offended. “Well maybe if you weren’t so preoccupied then you’d like both. I mean, both guys and girls are… well. You wouldn’t get it. But really? You never even looked at someone like that?”

“No not really,”

“Henge!” Sasuke looked over and then stumbled back. Naru has done her specialty. Long blonde pigtails, and steam so thick it hid her… Sasuke turned bright red and looked away.

“Not even me Sasuke-kun?” She giggled, blowing a kiss at him. Sasuke blanched. 

“Would you be serious?” He pleaded. Naru giggles again. 

“If not this, what about… Henge!” Naru changes again. A tall, lean, muscular guy. Still fully naked, with spiky hair. She reached up and scratched the back of her neck, flexing these new muscles. Sasuke was really red now.

“Seriously, Dobe, quit it,” 

“C’mon, you know you like what you see,” She laughed, her voice deep and gravelly. Sexy, she thought. Think sexy. 

“No, I don’t,” Sasuke said, looking away. Naru groaned. It came out sounding more lewd than she meant it, and Sasuke twitched. She transformed back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Girls like Girls, Hailey Kiyoko
> 
> Sasuke: ‘till I Collapse, Eminem
> 
> Naru is bi because i’m bi and i said so lmao


	10. Sasuke,  I’ll kick your ass, I’ll kick a baby bear’s ass, I’ll kick my own ass I don’t give a fuck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What? You’re not supposed to want to punch your friends in the face?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> stop me

What on earth was Naru trying to do? Kill him? Sasuke stuttered forward, looking away from Naru pointedly. _“Both… I’ve had crushes on guys and girls, I like both…”_

 

“C’mon Sasuke, I was just messing around, it’s cool you don’t like anyone, I wish I liked people less. It’s distracting,”

 

“You’re distracting, Dobe,” Sasuke snapped, glaring at her, “No matter what form you take, you’re nothing but some big annoying distraction,”

 

Naru stopped walking, staring at him. He saw anger begin to bubble over her features. This was more comfortable, this is how it should be. Sasuke glared at her.

 

“Yeah? Well at least I can take a joke. All you ever do is brood and sulk. you make me so damn angry sometimes. You think you’re better than everyone. Well, you’re not. You’re not anything special sasuke. Everyone has skills, there’s lots of great genin out here, and you’re not special just because you’re naturally talented. You’re not special because you’re alone either, because i’m alone, and not only am i alone, but i can’t ever stop being alone, because everyone in this village holds me at arms length. You refuse to let anyone in, but everyone refuses to let me in. I can’t ever stop being alone and that’s not my damn choice!”

 

“You think I chose to be alone?” Sasuke snapped, stepping up to her, glaring down at her. She returned his stare. “You think i chose to have my family murdered?”

 

“No, But you made your own choices after, and you choose to be alone now. You never let people into your life, and that’s on you,” She snarled up at him, “You decided to make yourself this damn isolated,” She grabbed his shirt, bunched it up in her fist, searching for words, “Alone… stupid… idiot. You decided to dwell on the past. I never chose this. I never wanted to be alone!” She buried her other fist into his shirt too, pulling him close to her fanged snarl, “You’re a selfish bastard and you’re so into your own head and your own suffering you refuse to see anyone else’s. You aren’t special and you aren’t as good as you think Uchiha,”

 

Sasuke just sneered, his heart trying to pound out of his chest and into Naru’s hands. Her face was so angry, and inches from his. They were in the middle of the empty street. No one was watching.

 

“Fight me,” He snapped, his voice came out surprisingly raspy and low. Naru thrust her fists forward, sending him staggering back, and she crouched, snarling back at him.

 

“You’re on, Teme,” she spat, fists clenched. he put his hands in his pockets.

 

“Come on then,” He sneered. She growled, rushing forward. he dodged all her first punches easily. She was too direct, too obvious. Much too slow.

 

Then she swept her leg under his, and he had to pull his hands from his pockets to catch himself. he flipped, landing on his feet in a crouch. She yelled, rushing forward and continuing to punch and kick. He dodged them, too easy, and then.

 

He put her in a headlock. she flailed, punching his back, but he stood firm.

 

“You’re no match for me Naru, you never have been,” he snarled. She screamed in frustration. It was almost laughable.

 

Then she wrapped her arms around his waist and yanked him into the air. he was suddenly thrown back, over her shoulder, and she suplexed him into the ground. It was too unexpected, he didn’t stop it in time. shocked, he just lay, in the dirt, on his back, staring up at his small teammate. She was panting for air, her jacket off her left shoulder, her eyes angry.

 

“You’re not as great as you think you are. You’re cocky. It doesn’t really matter how great you are if you leave yourself open to obvious attacks. There aren’t any shortcuts to getting stronger, and if anyone says there are, then they’re selling something,”

 

Naru held out a hand to him, frowning. He took it, and she heaved him to his feet. She dropped his hand quickly once he was standing.

 

“You need to stop underestimating people, Sasuke-kun. especially me,”

 

Then, she turned, and she walked away, leaving him standing there, with a sore neck and a bruise rising quickly on his head.

 

She’d called him Sasuke-kun again.

 

Why did it stick in his head so much? He didn’t care what she said, she was easy to underestimate. She was so short, her eyes were bright and her smile was disarming. She wasn’t pretty. Sakura was pretty. Naru was… Naru was something else entirely. Like a boy.

 

He remembered watching her on the playground when they were kids. she had run up to the boys, Shikamaru, Kiba and Choji.

_“Hey! Can I play Ninja with you?” She’d asked. Shikamaru had snorted._

 

_“You can’t play ninja, you’re a girl. You’d be too slow and cry if you broke a nail. Go play dolls!”_

 

_“Nuh-uh! I’m gonna be a great Ninja one day! I’m gonna be the best!”_

 

_“You can’t be the best. The Hokage is the best,” Kiba interjected, crossing his arms. Naru clenched her fists._

 

_“Then I’ll just be Hokage!”_

 

_“Girls can’t be Hokage! look at the mountain! Do you see any girls? No. And that’s because girls suck, and they aren’t good Ninja,” Shikamaru sneered. Naru crosses her arms._

 

_“Well I’m gonna be the first girl Hokage and you’re all gonna have to admit that girls are just as good as boys!” Naru shouted. The boys had all laughed, and run away, throwing paper shuriken back at Naru, who just stood, letting them bounce off of her._

 

She’d always surprised them. From that day, she’d trained harder than anyone. He knew why she slept in class. It was because she never stopped training outside of it. But he’d always thought…

 

He’d always thought he’d be stronger anyway. He always thought she’d never catch up.

 

Her laughing face flashed into his vision. _There aren’t any shortcuts to getting stronger, and if anyone says there are, then they’re selling something._

  
 _Well Naru,_ he thought, bitterly, _I’ll try it your way._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: I Eat Boy’s Like You For Breakfast, Ida Maria
> 
> Sasuke: Hypnotize, The Notorious B.I.G
> 
> also Naru: Trini Dem Girls, Nicki Minaj


	11. Naru, Revelations and a Change in Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> as far as twelve year old girls go Naru is fukkin RIPPED because she feels like she has something to prove

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you see me on the street do the world a favour and take me tf out

Naru was tossing and turning, trying to fall asleep. Her brain kept dragging forward thoughts like a cat bringing dead mice into the house. It brought her Konohamaru, hanging in the air, suspended by Kankuro, who was eyeing her. It brought her Sakura looking frightened as Naru told her what she was. Her mind brought her Iruka’s face, pale and shocked, and Sasuke, sneering and telling her she wasn’t as good as he was.

 

She turned over, feeling the seal on her stomach burn slightly. She frowned. Her life would have been different if only the Kyuubi had never come to Konohagakure. The boy, Gaara came into her vision.

 

Love. 

 

She would have known what love was, had the Nine Tails never cursed her. She felt fury boil in her stomach. If she ever could speak to the demon, she’d have some shit to say, that’s for sure.

 

She wished she could. She really wished she could speak to him. And then she drifted off to sleep.

 

_ She was falling. Plummeting downward. She hit water, and sat up. A massive cage lay before her.  _

 

_ “CLOSER, CHILD, COME CLOSER,” a deep growl bade. She snorted. _

 

_ “No, thanks. I’m not an idiot. I don’t just do what disembodied voices tell me to do,” _

 

_ “DISEMBODIED?” The voice snarled, sounding offended. A demon came forth and snaked his claws through the bars, swiping at Naru. Naru stood, and barked out a laugh at the demon. _

 

_ “Not so bad now, are you?” Naru sneered. She glared up into the demon’s snarling face and sneered. “It’s good I’m here, I was just thinking I wanted a word with you,” _

 

_ “INSECT! HOW DARE YOU EVEN LOOK ME IN THE EYES! YOUR LIFE IS NOTHING! YOU ARE NOTHING!” _

 

_ “Nothing except the body you’re hitching a ride on, if anyone here’s an insect, it’s you, you parasite,” _

 

_ “SO YOU’RE THE PRISON I AM BOUND TO- BREAK THE SEAL AND SET ME FREE-“ _

 

_ “No thanks, I really don’t want to do that, I’m good. I just wanted to say a big Fuck You For Ruining My Life, Bud,” _

 

_ The Kyuubi laughed, slamming one paw down on the ground. _

 

_ “YOU HAVE SPIRIT, CHILD. SET ME FREE, AND I WILL SPARE YOUR LIFE,” _

 

_ “I’m good, you dick,” Naru snarled. The Kyuubi lowered his face so they were closer to eye level. _

 

_ “YOU ARE WEAK,” _

 

_ “Compared to you, any human would be. But i’m strong enough to house you and stay sane, so there’s that,” She retorted, putting her hands on her hips and glaring. The Kyuubi nodded solemnly. _

 

_ “THAT IS TRUE, CHILD,” _

 

_ “Anyway, I’m kinda tired of your many-tailed ass freeloading. You owe me twelve years rent, bud, and pretty soon you’re gonna need to pay the hell up,” _

 

_ The Kyuubi laughed. An evil, demonic sound. “BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU HUNGER FOR, CHILD,” He laughed, his voice booming, “POWER IS ALL CONSUMING,” _

 

_ “Eat my ass, jerk,” Naru spat, flipping the fox off. He just laughed harder. _

 

Naru awoke with a start. The morning sun shone through the window. 

 

She shook her head. What a weird dream. She looked up at the ceiling. She had a feeling she was forgetting something.

 

She rolled out of bed, pulling on her trousers, and her tank top. before the could find her jacket, she realised.

 

_ The Chunin exams! _

 

She scrambled to grab all her gear, forgetting her jacket, and tying her headband around her head for once, so it pulled her hair back from her face. She sprinted to the testing center, and ran straight into Sakura. She tangled her limbs with Sakura’s and they would have fallen over if Sasuke hadn’t caught them with an outstretched arm.

 

“Sakura-Chan! I haven’t missed anything, have I? Am I too late?” Naru asked, straightening up and blushing. She stepped back. 

 

“No, you just made it,” Sakura beamed.  _ Obviously she’s given it some thought and realised I’m no threat.  _ Naru thought. “Where’s your jacket?” 

 

“Oh!” Naru laughed, rubbing the back of her head, “I just woke up and rushed here, I forgot my coat!”

 

“Well you look good without it,” Sakura said, pinching her friend’s arm, “You can see those Biceps of yours!”

 

Naru blushed harder and grinned, flexing. Sasuke made a huffing noise and looked away.

 

“What’s wrong with you Teme?” Naru teased, “Still mad I kicked your ass last night?”

 

“You caught me off guard, Dobe”

 

“You let yourself off guard during a fight, that’s a fair win Teme,”

 

Sakura looked between the two of them in surprise. “You two fought last night?”

 

“Only a little. Sasuke-Kun is the worst stalker ever!” Naru stuck her tongue out at Sasuke, who deadpanned back. 

 

“You’re stupid,” He said, shaking his head and looking away. 

 

“Whatever,” Naru laughed. She grabbed Sakura’s hand, grinning, “Hey Sakura-Chan! Thanks for studying with me last night! You were a ton of help!”

 

“So were you! You had some really cool insights Naru-Chan!” she said, grinning back and walking into the building hand in hand with Naru. Naru felt pride swell in her chest at the compliment.

 

“You know, I feel really good going into this,” Sakura said, smiling up at the ceiling, “i feel prepared,”

 

“Me too! I feel ready for whatever they throw at me. What room are we supposed to go to?” 

 

“301. But look…”

 

They’d only climbed two sets of stairs, but there was a large crowd in from of a room labeled 301. They approached it, and saw a young boy in a green spandex jumpsuit get thrown back from the door. 

 

“None of you wimps are getting past us. I expected more from kids taking the Chunin Exams, but looks like it’ll be easy pickings,” A boy cackled. A girl walked forward, and he threw her back too. Naru charged forward.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?”

 

The boy turned, looking her up and down. He laughed. “Oh come on. This is just getting pathetic,”

 

“Well,” Sasuke interrupted, “I wouldn’t be inclined to disagree, considering how bad your illusion is. We all know this is the second floor,”

 

The boys blocking the door both sneered, and the illusion lifted. The door said 201. The first boy turned to Sasuke now. 

 

“Oh so you think you’re hot shit, huh?” he sneered, gripping his hand into a fist. Sasuke moved to kick him, but the boy in green was suddenly between them, holding them apart.

 

Sasuke seemed shocked that he’d been blocked, but Naru was more concerned with how fast the boy had moved. It was less than half a second. A blink was slower. The boy’s team stepped forward.

 

“Rock. You were the one who wanted to blend in,” A tall, handsome boy said, looking unhappy. The girl seemed less disapproving. Rock said something to Sakura, but Naru had zeroed in on the handsome boy’s eyes. They looked just like Hinata’s. Were they related?

 

“Cmon! Sasuke! Let’s get going. We’ll be late otherwise,” Sakura called, stepping back from the green-clad boy, Rock. Her loud words drew the Hyuuga boy’s attention. He looked disdainful. Sakura grabbed both her teammates hand and led them down the hall. 

 

“Okay, Sasuke, it’s time we catch you up on some stuff,” Naru said, looking past Sakura at her male teammate. Sasuke looked surprised.

 

“Huh?”

 

“We were doing research last night on these exams, and we kinda know what to expect. There’s gonna be two parts, and the-“

 

“Hey you! With the sharp eyes!” A voice called, echoing across the empty room. All three teammates turned to look up at where it came from. The boy, Rock, was glaring down at Sasuke. 

 

He leapt down, landing nimbly in front of them, and moving to stand before Sasuke. 

 

“I would like to fight you,” He stood, one hand out, one behind his back, “I challenge you, to see who is stronger,”

 

Sasuke was taken aback, but he smirked. “you want to fight me?” He asked, almost laughing. Rock lee didn’t move. 

 

“Yes, i wish to prove that hard work is just as important as natural skill,” The boy said, sliding one foot back into a truly defensive stance.

 

“That sounds familiar, but you know, you’re on,” Sasuke said, preparing himself for the fight.

 

“Just HOLD ON A SEC,” Naru snapped, rushing between them, arms out. Both boys looked surprised. “Let’s just save ourselves the trouble, why don’t you both just go ahead and whip em out?”

 

Both boys turned bright red. Sakura snorted and hid her face in her hands. Sasuke blanched. “W-what?” Rock stuttered. Naru looked from one to the other, feigning innocence. 

 

“What? That’s what you’re trying to do, right? This is all just a dick-measuring contest. Well, i’m not really interested in wasting time here and it’d be faster if you’d just get straight to comparing. If that wasn’t your goal, then,” She glared at Sasuke, “You’re coming with me,” And then glared at Rock, “And you’re going to go and find your team. So get to it,”

 

The four of them stood there awkwardly for a moment, when Rock Lee shook himself and stared straight at Naru’s face.

 

“Who are you?”

 

“Naru Uzamaki,”

 

“I am Rock Lee, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” He bowed stiffly, and turned back to Sasuke. “I suppose our fight is to be delayed,” He said, smiling, “But we will fight, you have my word!”

 

Naru didn’t wait for her teammate to reply before dragging Sasuke away by the collar of his shirt. Rock lee looked disappointed and surprised, but Sasuke looked downright shocked. Naru called on to Sakura,

 

“I need to have a word with Sasuke, go ahead Sakura, we’ll catch up,” She turned back to Sasuke, glaring at him.

 

“Since when do you interrupt a fight?” he hissed. Naru turned to him, furious. 

 

“Since i was so rushed to get to this exam this morning that i forgot my jacket. If you remember, i’ve worn that jacket every day since i bought it. I feel bizarre without it, so god help me if i’ll let your dumbass make us late just so you can fight Bowl Cut McBig Brows. He’s stronger than you think he is, Teme, that fight would have lasted ages,”

 

Sasuke’s expression changed to something unreadable. “Well at least Sakura likes it,” he eyed her up and down, deliberately, trying to provoke her, “I _t sh_ o _w_ s _o_ f _f_ y _o_ u _r_ b _i_ c _e_ p _s,_ god, your crush is so obvious,” he sneered, imitating Sakura’s voice. Naru grabbed the front of his shirt and shoved him back. The muscles in her arms did jump at the action, drawing Sasuke’s attention.

 

“Listen bud,” She snarled, “You might think you’re the shit, and everything about you can be known by everyone, but there’s some stuff I’d like to keep private. I trusted you with a secret, and talking about it in a building packed with enemy ninja is a piece of shit move,” she dropped her grip on him. He angrily yanked his shirt back straight.

 

“Oh your girl crush on Sakura isn’t a secret. Everyone can see it all over your face when you look at her,” He snapped. She stepped back from him and crossed her arms, glaring at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Hold Me Down, Halsey
> 
> Sakura: Interlude: Holiday, Paramore
> 
> Sasuke: Undone- The Sweater Song, Weezer
> 
> Rock Lee: Short Skirt/Long Jacket, Cake


	12. Sasuke, Are you serious? Is she..? Oh gods she’s actually serious.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke has declared his life an ongoing crisis and Naru yells at everyone

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey hi this is becoming an addiction send help

She was trying her best to burn holes in him with her eyes. Her arms were crossed, and her hair pulled back from her face. He wasn’t used to seeing so much skin. It was distracting. He hadn’t expected her to be tan on her arms too. He’d expected paler skin. Well. Turns out she was just naturally five shades darker than him. He frowned. Did she just carry the sun inside her? A constantly combusting star giving her all the energy and warmth and this brightness she was filled with?

 

“You’re terrible,” She snapped, turning to leave. Sasuke felt the urge to drag her back, to push her against the wall and tell her… something. He must have wanted to fight her. And make her change where she was wearing her headband back. And make her put a jacket on. Why’d she chosen today to change her look. It was distracting. No, not distracting… it just threw him off balance. That was it. He watched her begin climbing the stairs and rushed to follow her. 

 

By the time they finally made it to the classroom, Sakura was waiting nervously outside the door.

 

“You guys weren’t fighting again, were you?” She asked nervously. Naru grinned at her.

 

“No! Don’t worry, I just wanted to talk to him about the exam,”

 

“Oh… okay. Well, let’s go in?” Sakura said. Naru nodded, reaching for the door handle. Sasuke rushed forward and opened the door before she could, stepping into the classroom before her. It was packed. everyone was staring at them. Naru shifted from foot to foot. Sasuke stood back, letting her converse quickly with some of the other rookies. Kiba seemed genuinely glad to see her, and so did Hinata. Shikamaru has always been conflicted about Naru. Sasuke guessed that if she had been born a boy he’d feel very differently, but as it was, she was the only person he seemed incapable of understanding. 

 

Sasuke noticed the boy, Rock Lee, rejoining his team, and noticed the team from Suna were all staring Naru down. In fact, everyone in the room had seemed to zero in on her. She, as usual, stuck out like a sore thumb. Sakura seemed intimidated. Naru must have noticed too. The smaller girl seemed to be psyching herself up for something.

 

“Hey! All of you better watch out!” Naru shouted, stepping around the other rookies to address the room at large, “Listen up! My name is Naru Uzamaki and I’m gonna be Hokage one day! You’re right to stare! It’d do you all good to remember me!”

 

Sasuke sighed.  _ Yeah Naru, just go ahead and paint a big damn target on your back while you’re at it. Genius. _ But then he looked back at Hinata and Sakura. They were both surprised, but much less nervous than they had been. It clicked into place.

 

_ She’s drawing attention away from weaker targets. _ He realised, as she grinned and adjusted her headband. He wasn’t sure if she was brave, stupid or both, but the whole room was really glaring at her in earnest now. His eyes flicked back to the team from Suna. The boy with the red hair looked ready to kill her on the spot. The boy in black was sizing her up again, smirking, and the girl looked bemused. 

 

_ She’s digging a big hole for herself here… I should stop her.  _ He moved forward, obscuring her from the view of most of the room, and grabbed her arm. Hard.

 

“Stop drawing attention to yourself,” he hissed. She glared up at him. 

 

“Don’t tell me what to do, hypocrite. You’re the one who’s been jumping at every chance for a fight all day. I’m just not letting these fools play an intimidation game with me. I’m not gonna cower in the corner for a bunch of idiots who’s only credit is that they took longer to get here than we did,”

 

“You’re making yourself into a mark,”

 

“You literally paint a big ass red fan on all your clothes, Teme! You have no right to lecture me about shit!”

 

“Why are you swearing so much all of a sudden?” he snapped, squeezing her arm hard enough to bruise. She didn’t flinch.

 

“I’ll say what I want, do what I want, and wear what I want. You’re not my father, older brother or teacher so what you want me to do is irrelevant,” She growled. He stepped a fraction of an inch closer, glaring daggers down at her.

 

“I’m glad I’m not any of those things, but I’m your teammate and I’m responsible for your safety, so you should listen to me,”

 

“You’re not responsible for anything to do with me. I’m responsible for my own well being. I don’t need you to babysit me,”

 

Before the conversation could continue, a grey haired older boy strode up to them and introduced himself. He said he had information, and that he’d share it with them as a favour. Naru’s eyes spelled distrust, but Sasuke had a point to prove.

 

“Gaara?” Sasuke inquired. Kabuto sneered.

 

“Oh, you know their names? Too easy!” He pulled out the card. He didn’t have much on him, as he was from Suna, but what he did have alluded to power.

 

Sasuke was unhappy at how intrigued Naru looked. He was trying to show her she was out of her league, that she’d be relying on his help, not get her excited to fight people she had no hope against. 

 

“What about Rock Lee?” He snapped, his irritation bubbling just below the surface. He didn’t like this smug boy, Kabuto. He didn’t like him at all.

 

He pulled the corresponding card from his deck. Sasuke was surprised. the boy was only a year older than they were. He remembered the way his Hyuuga teammate had looked down at them. He’d thought they were older. he wondered if the extra year had done them any good. If the experience had changed them much. He looked at Naru, who was staring straight at the Suna team again. It probably had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke: (Honestly i just like Hozier too much) Cherry Wine, Hozier
> 
> Naru: Proof, Paramore (Mainly because of the line ‘maybe if i’m half the man i say i am, if i’m a woman with no fear just like i claim i am)
> 
> Gaara: Killing in The Name, Rage Against the Machine (this should have been his overall theme tbh)


	13. Naru, Test Anxiety

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru Yells

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i also yell but in real life

So, Gaara continued to be a mystery. She looked him over, he was only a little taller than her. He had, like his female teammate, and so many people of her village, embraced fishnets. She smiled to herself absentmindedly. Fashion was weird. Suddenly the girl, Temari, leaned in and whispered something to Kankuro, the bully. All three of them looked at her. She grinned, putting her hand on her hip. Kankuro seemed amused, and whispered something back to Temari. Gaara just glared sullenly at Naru.  _ And that eyeliner... _

 

Commotion broke out. The weird boy, Kabuto, was bleeding on the floor. A sound village shinobi was standing over him. Naru rushed to help, but they’d already broken away. She helped Kabuto to his feet. the second their skin touched, she felt a shiver run along her whole body. Every fight or flight reflex she had was rioting under her skin. Her stomach stirred. 

 

This boy wasn’t to be trusted.

 

“Thanks, Naruto,”

 

“Naru,” She wrinkled her nose, “I go by Naru,” she snarled, propping him against the wall and looking him in the eyes. He smirked.

 

“Is it cause you’re named after a food?”

 

“You have no right to make fun of anyone’s name,  _ Kabuto _ ,”

 

Kabuto sneered again, a response brewing behind his stupid smirk, but then the proctor came into the room. 

 

He was badly scarred, and sullen. He explained the rules of the exam. He warned against cheating. Actually, he talked very little about anything else. Naru furrowed her brow.  _ They really want us to do our own work. But a written exam? most of us in this room have been focusing purely on field missions. Only people like Sakura are gonna do well. And if I get a zero everyone fails? Well,  _ she smirked,  _ Guess I’m gonna have to do my best then. _

 

But when they flipped their papers over, the test was impossible, the proctors terrifying, and Naru was separated from her teammates.  _ Its okay, they’re definitely gonna do fine. They’re both such smart asses that they’ll do great, I just know it.  _ Naru stared down at her test. There wasn’t a single question on this damn sheet that she could answer. Hinata was nudging her, offering her her paper.  _ But Scar Face up front had said that could get Hinata in trouble too? No _ . people were getting dragged out in droves. Naru wouldn’t risk it. She’d wager it all on that last question he’d mentioned.  _ Come on! You’ve gotta know one of these… Just one... _

 

It lasted an eternity, but then, the man spoke again.

 

“I will now give you the tenth question. If you leave now, you’ll get a zero, and your teammates will fail. however, if you stay, and get the question wrong, you’ll never be able to take the Chunin exams again. you’ll be a Genin forever,”

 

A silence followed these words. then suddenly, people began excusing themselves, dragging their teammates out with them. Naru stared in shock at the proctor. none of this made sense. She glanced back at her closest teammate, Sakura, who had a sad little smile on her face. her hand was twitching.

 

No. This guy couldn’t scare Sakura, the smartest Genin of the leaf, out of her chance. Naru slammed her hand on the desk and stood, glaring around at the proctors.

 

“LISTEN! I’M NOT SCARED OF YOU OR YOUR EVER-CHANGING AND SELF-CONTRADICTING RULES. YOU CAN’T INTIMIDATE ME INTO DROPPING OUT. SO WHAT IF I CAN'T TAKE THIS EXAM AGAIN? ONE WAY OR ANOTHER I’LL BE HOKAGE, EVEN IF I’M A GENIN FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE,” She yelled, shaking her head. Everyone seemed shocked. 

 

“I’ll give you one more chance, kid. This isn’t something to take lightly,” the guy said, staring back at her.

 

She sat down again. “Spit it out then, scarface. What’s the question?”

 

The proctor smirked. “The final question of the first part of the chunin exams… You’ve all already answered it, just by staying. You all pass,”

 

Several people gasped. Naru dropped her pencil. It was deafening as it rolled to the floor. “What?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> naru: Feeding The Fire, Hayley Kiyoko
> 
> Sasuke: 505, Arctic monkeys
> 
> sakura: Daydreamer, Adele


	14. Gaara, The Mood To Kill

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaara has issues with noise and also the uchiha kid

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey just let me know what you guys wanna see cause i haven’t made up my mind and honestly i’m kinda gratuitous with ships so lemme know what you’re sailin on

Gaara stared at the idiot blonde girl. She really didn’t get it, did she? It was all stupid. All child’s play. Obvious from the start. Her outbursts, her voice. He wanted more than anything to kill her. Drawing attention to herself, shouting like she needed everyone to hear her. Her Face, her hair, her eyes. Blue and filled with hope.

 

He wanted her blood. She was staring at the proctor, mesmerised as he spoke. Wasn’t it obvious? Wasn’t it all so clear? How stupid was this girl? She had made herself a target from the moment she walked into the room, screaming about how she’d be the hokage. Foolish little girl. Idiot child. She didn’t know what it was like to fight for her existence. She wasted her time on silly little dreams like gaining respect, getting stronger. She was pathetic. They were all pathetic. 

 

His eyes landed on the Uchiha boy. His head was turned to the blonde girl too, smirking like he knew a secret. Gaara felt a familiar tug in his chest. He  _ needed _ to kill him. Even more than the stupid blonde girl. His smug face, the way he was looking at his teammate, like he understood a private joke between them. The girl shifted, looking at the pink haired girl from before and then at Uchiha. Gaara watched their eyes meet.

 

Uchiha smirked at her.

 

Naru grinned back.

 

Gaara almost leapt from his chair. He clenched his fists at his sides, feeling sand run down over his skin. God, he needed to get a hold on himself. If he wanted to kill everyone in this village, he’d have to be patient. And he truly, truly wanted to kill them all. 

 

But Gaara was not a patient man. And he wanted to kill now. Starting with the Uchiha.

 

Suddenly, a loud bang and the sound of shattering glass rang through the room. knives shot out, and a purple haired woman stood in front of a banner. 

 

“Hope you’re all ready for part two!” She shouted, one hand in the air, and an irritating grin on her face. God, she was like the blonde. She looked around, the grin slipping off her face.

 

“God, this many? They all passed? Ibiki, your test was too easy!”

 

The man, Ibiki, smiled at the annoying woman. “Or this is just a stronger group than usual,”

 

“Either way, more than half of them will fail my test,” She laughed, turning to the class at large. “Follow me!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gaara: Still Take You Home, Arctic Monkeys
> 
> Naru: Bellyache, Billie Eilish
> 
> Sasuke: From Eden, Hozier


	15. Naru, Stab Happy and the Knife Club- Where Stuff Really Starts Playing Out Differently

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru is a loudmouth and Sakura snaps (that split personality can cause ya trouble)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey big TW for gore on this one, it’s canon typical but still. And here’s where Naru’s confidence issues start coming into play.

They were all standing outside the forest of death, staring at the gates. Sasuke had their scroll, despite the protests of Naru. Naru felt jumpy, nervous. Something wasn’t right, her stomach was roiling, her fight reflexes buzzing. Sasuke was his usual cocky self, Sakura looked nervous, but ready. Naru had too much pride to admit it, but she was nervous. They rushed into the forest. 

 

Sakura turned to them. “Hey, we should come up with a code, so that none of us can be imitated,”

 

“Okay, what should it be?” Naru asked, staring around. oddly, she felt slightly safer in the forest. Like they were a little further from a threat.

 

Sasuke looked at them both. “When does a ninja strike?”

 

Sakura looked at him. She smiled, softly. “In the dead of night, when he is least expected. As his enemy sleeps, that is when a ninja strikes,”

 

“Guys! Can’t it be something easier? like… Ramen with beef or Hold the Spice?” Naru whined. Both her teammates glared at her.

 

“No, that’s the code. We should all say it together,” Sakura snapped. They all repeated it, Naru one word behind the other two, struggling to commit it to memory.

 

“You guys…” Naru whined, looking at them.  _ I gotta tell them about this feeling I’ve got… _

 

“What? Are you scared or something, Dobe?” Sasuke sneered. Naru turned bright red.

 

“No!” she snapped, looking around, coming up with an excuse, “I uh… i just gotta go take a leak,”

 

“Why didn’t you go before the exam started?” Sakura snapped. Naru frowned at her.

 

“Uh, cause, I didn’t need to go then. I need to go now. I’ll be right back!” And she dashed off. She could hear the other two start to talk the second she left, but she brushed the thoughts that slunk toward her aside.  _ They’re talking about you. Sakura is telling Sasuke all about how you’re a monster. You should have kept it a secret, stupid. _

 

“Shut up,” she snarled, picking through the underbrush. That feeling of foreboding intensified suddenly. she looked around.  _ Shit… I don’t know where I am. _

 

She turned around, nervous, and looked for her footprints. It took her a moment, but she found them and followed them back to the clearing again. There sasuke was standing, looking angrily at her.

 

“Well are you actually Naru?”

 

“Yeah, I only just left,”

 

“When does a ninja strike?”

 

“When… it’s… Dark out?” She screwed up her face, trying to remember. Sasuke sneered. 

 

“That’s a pretty good impression,” Sasuke hurled a kunai at her that she barely leapt out of the way of, “but Naru wouldn’t find her way back this fast. She’d get lost,”

 

“I did get lost, but I followed my footprints. Shit, guys! I really don’t remember the code! Please, you gotta believe me!”

 

“Prove you’re Naru!” Sasuke snapped, readying himself with another kunai. Naru hesitated.

 

“Okay… how?”

 

“Tell me something only Naru would know!”

 

“I won the fight last night!”

 

“Nice try! She was shouting about that before we went into the testing building! What did you do with her?” He barked, charging forward with the kunai. Naru backed up to the tree and gripped his arm, keeping the knife from her throat.

 

“I won by flipping you over my shoulder and dropping you on your dumb pin cushion looking ass head, Teme! Get off me!”

 

Sasuke’s eyes grew wide, and he dropped his arm. Naru stayed there, leaned against the tree, glaring up at him.

 

“Sorry I forgot the password,”

 

“Frankly, I’d have been more suspicious if you’d remembered it,” He admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. Naru frowned.

 

“Fuck you,”

 

“Fuck you too,” Sasuke replied, smirking at her. She wrinkled her nose at him and kicked off the tree, so they were standing toe to toe. He looked down his nose at her, about to say something, when Sakura suddenly screamed. They both turned to see a man in a tan jumpsuit gripping her by her hair, laughing.

 

“Looks like they don’t need you at all, sugar. I might as well just kill you now to get you out of these lovebird’s way!”

 

“We aren’t lovebirds!” Naru shouted, turning red. Sakura and Sasuke both whipped around to glare at her.

 

“THAT’S YOUR TAKEAWAY HERE, YOU KNUCKLEHEADED BIMBO?” Sakura screamed, flailing in her captor’s grip. Naru clenched her fists.

 

“Oh yeah! And let her go!” She snarled, leaning into an offensive pose.

 

“Only if you hand over your scroll, kid,” The man snarled, yanking Sakura’s hair. Sakura looked furious, and she saw her teammate’s eyes flick up to her own short blonde hair.

 

It was sudden, all at once. Sakura pulled out a knife and cut through her hair, dropping to her knees, just as the man’s teammates appeared. Naru saw Sakura turn, knife in hand, just as a man came through the trees toward herself. Naru punched through him, but he was just an illusion. She barrelled through it, toward her friend, but was knocked back by a knife grazing her left arm, spraying blood across the clearing. she snarled, turning, trying to see where it had come from, when Sasuke called out suddenly.

 

“Naru! Get to Sakura!”

 

Naru turned again, seeing Sakura, clutching her knife, covered in blood, shaking, staring down at the body of the man she’d just killed. He was covered in stab wounds, his chest, his face, his arms, where he’d tried to block the Konoichi’s blows. Sakura’s pink hair was scattered around them, mixing with the red blood. Naru rushed forward, pulling her friend off the man’s body, checking the trees around them for wherever the attacks were coming from.

 

“Teme! I can’t see them! Use those stupid eyes of yours!” Naru screamed, pushing Sakura to the ground and shielding her from an incoming knife, which lodged itself in the shorter girl’s right shoulder.

 

“That’s not how Sharingan work, moron!” Sasuke yelled back, but seconds later he sent a knife into the trees and a yell told them all it hit its mark. Another man fell from his tree. Naru turned and rushed him, grabbing the front of his jumpsuit. It was solid. He was real.

 

“Do you have the scroll?” She snarled in his face. She dragged him to face his dead friend. “I suggest you hand it over now if you do,”

 

“My other teammate has it! I don’t wanna die! Please!”

 

“Then your other teammate better toss it down here if he doesn’t want you to go the same way as your buddy over there, huh?” Naru bluffed, shaking her captive slightly. 

 

A thud echoed through the clearing. 

 

A scroll, the one they needed. Sasuke scooped it up, and Naru held back a sigh of relief. She punched the man she was holding unconscious, and ran back to Sakura, who was just staring at the corpse in the clearing and shaking in horror. 

 

“Come on…” Naru whispered, “We’ve been too loud, people might be coming, we gotta go, now,”

 

She scooped her friend up, pulling her arm over her shoulder and propping her up, and they leapt into the trees and away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Still Sane, Lorde
> 
> Sakura: Glory and Gore, Lorde
> 
> Sasuke: Devils Dance Floor, Flogging Molly (honestly he’s just in shock this whole chapter)


	16. Sakura, And The Other Sakura. Both of Them. Yikes.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The idea of two souls sharing a body wasn’t explored enough tbh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> one Sakura has PTSD now, the other has a pretty bad case of the stabs.

They sat in the shade of a large tree, Naru was wrapping a bandage around her left arm. She cut it with her kunai and tied it off, holding one end between her teeth. Sakura watched this, but every time she closed her eyes, there was the image of the man, her knife running through his face, his arms, his chest, the images flicked by like slides every time her eyelids fell, like curtains, over the scene of her friend cleaning her own wounds. She sat, staring, and unsure of the feeling in her chest. 

 

She killed that man, without hesitating, she’d had to do it. But… was it adrenaline that had kept her running her knife into his body after he’d stopped moving? 

 

Had it been shock that made her face split into a smile as she drove the kunai past his arms and into his chest? It was like the  _ other _ Sakura had taken control. Like she’d been the one along for the ride.

 

It had been proof she was as useful as Naru. She had proved that she could fight too. She stared at her friend, and her hand travelled up to her butchered hair. Other Sakura had made that decision for her. Other Sakura  _never_ makes decisions.

 

_ Sasuke likes girls with long hair,  _ she thought,  _ but he loses to girls with their hair cropped short. _

 

She glanced at him. He was staring into the forest, teeth gritted. He looked over at her, their eyes locking briefly, but continued to turn toward Naru.

 

“Do you need help bandaging your shoulder? You were stabbed there too, right?” he asked, his voice was surprisingly soft.

 

“Eh, I’m good. Just pass me some of that yarrow, I need to chew up some more,” Naru grunted, knitting the bandage again and pulling it tight with her teeth.

 

“You can just mash it up you know,” Sakura said, watching Naru place more of the leaves into her mouth. Naru laughed, spraying little green shards in front of her.

 

“Yeah, I didn't think of that,” She said, her voice muffled, but she kept chewing the leaves anyway. She spat them into her hand after a minute and slapped them over her right shoulder, then started wrapping bandages over the joint. Sasuke and Sakura watched her, but she seemed oblivious to this. She was completely focussed on the bandage she was fumbling with. after a few minutes of watching her struggle, Sasuke sighed and moved behind her, pulling the roll from her fist.

 

“You’re too stupid even to do this right, Dobe,” He snarled, starting to wrap her up. Naru jerked away, whipping her head around to glare at him.

 

“I can do it myself,” she groused, reaching out for the bandage, still trailing from her shoulder, taut and preventing her from scooting away any further.

 

“Obviously not, so stop fidgeting and sit still,” he snapped, palming the top of her head and jerking it back to face Sakura. Naru grunted, but let him continue to wrap her shoulder. He pulled the bandage tight, and Sakura thought it must have been painful on Naru’s fresh wound, but Naru didn’t flinch. Instead, she looked unabashed at Sakura, letting Sasuke jerk her arm around as he roughly tended to her. Sakura watched the progress of an ant across the floor between them. He was carrying a small piece of a leaf.

 

“You stabbed that guy a lot,” Naru said, her voice sounded strange around those words, like they didn’t belong together, “Are you okay Sakura-Chan?”

 

Sakura’s eyes snapped up to her teammates face. Naru looked earnest.

 

“I’m not hurt. That guy was a pushover,” Who was speaking? Was it really her? Or was it her other half?

 

“That’s not what I meant. Are you  _ okay, _ Sakura?” Naru asked, A very faint flush appearing on her cheeks. Or was it just Sakura’s imagination? “Ya know, like, emotionally or whatever?”

 

“I’m fine,” Sakura said, picking the ant up and crushing it between her fingers. The little leaf shard dropped to the ground. She hadn’t meant to do that. It hadn’t been her. The other Sakura was laughing loudly as she struggled against her.

 

“If you say so,” Naru said, turning over her injured shoulder to glare at Sasuke, “How far down are you planning on wrapping me up exactly, Teme?”

 

Sakura looked down at Naru’s arm, which was covered to the elbow. Sasuke knocked Naru upside the head, then began weaving the end of the bandage in.

 

“I’m just making sure it’s secure, Dobe,” he snapped, “Don’t want it coming undone in a fight,”

 

“Yeah, but you wasted so much bandage!” The blonde girl whined, looking at the little ball left over. Sasuke picked it back up.

 

“I’m gonna go over your other arm to make sure that’s secure too,” He snapped, pulling her left arm toward him. She snatched it away, snarling at him.

 

“I did fine! It’s fine! I don’t need more gauze!”

 

“You knucklehead! You barely even tied it off! It’ll come undone any second! Let me fix it!”

 

“No! get off me!”

 

Sakura watched her teammates grapple briefly. Sasuke took advantage of the injuries on Naru’s arms to pin her, and he knelt on her chest, ignoring her flailing as he wrapped her entire upper arm, shoulder to elbow, using her entire ball of bandages. Naru grunted and kicked as he did. Sakura kept seeing the man she’d killed. The look in his eyes as her knife went through his cheek, clicking against his teeth, probably going through his tongue. Blood had bubbled from his mouth as he had yelled. 

 

Naru lay panting, flat on her back, upper arms both bandaged beyond necessity. Sasuke had shifted his knees to her sides, and kneeled over her, hands on his hips, smirking. He wasn’t out of breath at all. Sakura rose to her feet.

 

“We should go,” She said, looking down at the pair of them. Naru propped herself up on her elbows, looking up at Sakura. Sasuke glanced at her and then returned to staring at Naru.

 

“Why the rush Sakura-Chan?”

 

“I just wanna get to the tower, that’s all,”

  
She turned away from her teammates, hearing Sasuke get up gracefully, and Naru stumble to her feet.  _ It’s strange, this feeling… _ Sakura thought, closing her eyes and allowing the image of the dead to take over her senses, smelling the metallic scent of blood,  _ like… like some sort of… drug. It’s like it woke her up. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Other” Sakura: Bad Karma, Ida Maria
> 
> Sakura, The main soul: Cherry Red, Ida Maria
> 
> Naru: From The Ritz To The Rubble, Arctic Monkeys  
> (cause still in you brain you’ve got something to prove to all the smirking faces and the boys in black)
> 
> Sasuke: Arabella, Arctic Monkeys
> 
> (notice that Sakura is on an entirely different beat. Neither of her are feeling these two right) now,


	17. Naru, There's An Issue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, heres where life gets complicated kids. buckle up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really should probably read things before I post them on the internet

Naru pulled a stray thread from a bandage on her left arm.  _ This test just keeps getting weirder. First Sakura cuts her hair off and goes full on stab-happy, then Sasuke decides to play nurse and bandage my whole body. Am I asleep? _

 

She pinched her forearm, bruising herself.  _ No, I’m awake.  _ She'd just been stabbed twice and h er stomach hadn’t stopped burning the whole time they were in this dumb forest, so maybe she was dumb for pinching herself. Maybe she was dumb in general.

 

They were making their way toward a tower when Naru held her arms out, signaling them all to stop. It was faint, but someone… Someone was near. A chakra signature that sent her skin crawling… she’d felt it before.

 

“Guys get down!” She whispered, dropping and hanging underneath the tree by her hands and feet. Sasuke and Sakura looked at each other and frowned.

 

“What is she talking about?” Sakura asked, looking around her. Sasuke activated his sharingan and looked around at the surrounding trees.

 

Suddenly, the grass ninja from before appeared, stepping out onto a branch and grinning at them.

 

“I’ve been looking for you everywhere,” She hissed, her face splitting into a wide smile. 

 

“Back off!” Sakura yelled, whipping a Kunai at her. The grass woman flicked it out of the air with her bare hand. 

 

“Not you, little girl,” The woman sneered, “I’ve been looking for you, Sasuke,”

 

“Oh?” Sasuke sneered, “Why’s that?”

 

“Oh, I just wanted to test your abilities. See where you’re at,” The woman grinned. It was unnatural, there was something so wrong here. This creepy woman  _emanated_ power.

 

Suddenly Naru saw both her teammates drop to their knees, terrified. She shifted her grip, making to rush towards them, but something stopped her. They weren’t physically hurt, it was some kind on Genjutsu.

 

So she waited it out. She watched her teammates shaking in fear, eyes wide in unadulterated horror. Soon Sasuke struggled to his feet and positively yelped at the woman.

 

“You can have our scroll! Here! Take it!” He rooted in his pockets, but couldn’t find them. Naru couldn’t help herself. She smirked. If all it took was some shitty Genjutsu to have Sasuke whimpering for help, she was glad she took the scrolls from him.

 

“I don’t care about the scroll!” The woman laughed, “And even if I did, it looks like you’ve got none at all!” She laughed, throwing her head back. "No, I want _you,_ " Sakura was shaking like a leaf. Naru ached to reach out for her but…

 

_ it’s just like the land of waves. I spoiled the strategy by charging in half cocked. Save it for the right moment. It seems like this woman can’t tell I’m hiding or she’d have cast the Genjutsu on me too.  _

 

So she waited, watched as this woman started fighting, until she stretched out her neck like a snake and came toward Sasuke… 

 

Naru leapt out and launched herself at the woman, catching her by surprise as she was just biting Sasuke’s neck. Naru punched her dead in the middle of her face, Sending her creepy neck snapping back like a whip. The woman staggered, and Sasuke fell to his knees, shaking. Naru crouched before him, feeling her rage bubble to the surface along with… something else. Something… red.

 

_ TWELVE YEAR’S RENT! _ a voice screamed in her mind. The woman was laughing, her neck snaking back into her body. Sasuke has his hand over his neck. Naru turned to look at him.

 

“You’re not  _ hurt,  _ are ya, kid?” she sneered. Sasuke looked up at her, something in his eyes. _ No time.  _ she thought, whipping back to face the Grass lady,  _ gotta fight this hag.  _

 

“You must be the fox child. Yes, Kabuto said something about you,”

 

“Shut up you ugly freak!” Naru screamed, crouching onto all fours and charging at the woman. The woman seemed surprised at her speed. Caught off guard, she was thrown back by Naru’s next punch, slamming her against the tree trunk. The woman quickly bit her thumb, and summoned…

 

A massive snake came out of nowhere, its body sliding to the forest floor, its head, which the woman was standing on, leveled with Naru. It’s mouth opened, and it swallowed her whole.

 

It was dark, and slimy. Naru pulled out a knife and tried hacking at the neck around her, but it didn’t budge.  _ Don’t panic, what would Sakura say? Stay calm, think it through…  _ She closed her eyes.  _ How can you break something if you can’t cut it? _ Her eyes flew open.  _ You stretch it!  _ She summoned as many shadow clones as she could, focusing her chakra as much as possible. The dark helped in a way. It was less distracting. The strange, red chakra built up in her, around her, and…

 

The throat around her burst, ripping through the snake’s skin and leaving it keeling backward, bringing the grass woman back with it. Naru’s clones poured out of the gaping hole, dozens at a time, clambering out of the snake’s warm corpse. Naru, emerging with the rest, looked around. Sasuke and Sakura were still in the trees, safe, for now. If she could set the clones on this woman, it might distract her long enough that they could get away and treat whatever creepy hickey she’d given Sasuke. If they got enough of a head start they might even be able to make it to the tower before nightfall.

 

But that was only if she’d made enough clones. She looked around. Twenty, thirty, forty…. how many where there?  _ There’s no time for a head count, idiot!  _ She sent her intent through her clones, who all focussed on the Grass nin, lying there, taking in the small army surrounding her.

 

“Well well… I didn’t expect this…” She mused, climbing back to her feet. Naru snarled, so did her clones. 

 

“Oh, you didn’t?” a clone snapped, across the clearing from Naru, another, closer, laughed.

 

“You probably should have taken it to heart when I warned you not to underestimate me,”

 

“Somehow, though, people never do,” another clone laughed. They all drew kunai at once. The grass nin smiled.

 

“Well, let’s see what you’ve really got,” She sneered, looking around at the army of clones. Naru sent them in, holding two clones back as decoys. The crowd engulfed her, all screaming at the top of her lungs. As soon as she could guarantee the other Nin was overwhelmed, she leapt away and found Sakura, who was propping Sasuke up. He was unconscious, and there was a single black dot next to the shallow bite mark on his neck.

 

“I don’t know what that woman did to him,” Sakura yelped, clutching her crushes chest. Naru pulled him away from her and lifted him over her shoulders. 

 

“Doesn’t matter. He’s alive, we’ll figure it out later. I don’t know how much time I bought, we have to move NOW,”

 

Sakura nodded and they both stood, Naru carrying the unconscious Sasuke. They fled as fast as they could, Naru receiving flashing memories as clones dispersed by the dozen. This woman was insanely powerful. Naru had produced a lot of clones, but it wouldn’t be long with how strong that lady was. 

 

“Hurry up, Sakura!” She snapped, rushing forward. She felt the last few clones disperse. The grass nin was definitely following them now.

 

“We’re going to have to go straight to the tower. We can’t stop,” Naru gasped, flashes of the clones memories running through her head. The skin had begun to peel off one side that grass nin’s face, revealing… was that… another face?

 

“It’s miles, Naru!”

 

“Well? We’ve made it further in a day before,”

 

“Not flat out in a forest full of enemy nin! We’ll have to break!” 

 

“That’d be great if we had that option, but we don’t,” Naru snapped, glaring at her teammate, “You’re not the one carrying this gangly loser. I get it Sakura, but if we stop, we’ll die, and if we die, I’ll find you in the afterlife and kick your ass for eternity, got it?”

 

“It’s impossible!”

 

“Lots of things are impossible, till someone does it,” Naru said, using her chakra to increase her speed. Even with her massive reserves, and the Kyuubi, she was beginning to feel the drain.  _ Miles to go, nowhere to rest. _ Naru told herself. She heard Sakura grunt and try to match her strides.

 

_ Miles to go. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Death Proof, Kate Nash
> 
> Sasuke: Arsonists Lullaby, Hozier
> 
> Sakura: Daredevil, Fiona Apple


	18. Sasuke, Fight me. But Don’t Win.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke is struggling with anger management and Naru doesn’t care about his feelings..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhhhh kayyy so here’s the problem with a curse jar. it’ll work okay if you don’t seal it, but it’ll leak. both physically and... well.

When Sasuke came to, he was in a bed that was most certainly not his own. He jerked up, feeling like his whole body was screaming in protest. He heard a shift in the corner. 

 

Sakura was sitting there, looking at him expectantly, worried. She rushed to stand, staggering on stiff limbs to his side. 

 

“Sasuke! It’s been two days! Are you okay?”

 

It was slowly coming back, he looked around, taking in his surroundings. 

 

“Where are we? Where’s Naru?” he moved to leap out of bed, but Sakura placed her hands on his shoulders, keeping him perched on the side of the mattress, “Oh god! Is she dead? Did that woman kill her? WHERE IS SHE?” he felt a burning at his neck and slapped his hand over it, his fingers finding a bandage there. Then suddenly his sharingan activated, and a burning spreading over his skin. He gasped in pain, and stood, pushing past Sakura’s gentle pressure. At that moment, the door burst open, revealing Naru, bandages wrapped more sparingly than before, and unharmed. She was running a towel back and forth over her wet hair and grinning, her headband around her neck where it usually sat. Sasuke felt his skin cooling, and his sharingan disengage. She was okay. She was safe.

 

“Man a hot shower does a lot of good to- Whoa!” Naru froze, looking at her teammates and turning red, “Am I interrupting something?” Sasuke looked back at Sakura, realising just how close they were, with her hands up on his shoulders. She was bright red, staring back up at him.

 

He pulled her hands off his shoulders, and gently urged her to step back. She looked down at the ground, still red in the face.

 

“No, I just woke up,” he said, turning away from Sakura to face Naru.

 

“What? Did Sakura give you mouth to mouth or something?” Naru teased, wrapping her towel up and snapping it at him. He grabbed it and pulled it out of her grip, casually throwing it to the ground and striding toward her. She backed up two steps, but he got to her before she could get further. He grabbed her left arm and pulled it forward.

 

“Who did these? They’re actually tied well, so it wasn’t you,”

 

“I did,” Sakura squeaked, still locked in a staring contest with her toes. Sasuke glanced at her and then back at Naru, pulling her other shoulder toward him.

 

“I would have wrapped them thicker, she’ll bleed through this in a few hours,” He said, “But they’re neat, I’ll give you that,”

 

Naru suddenly shoved him back, away from her, glaring up at him.

 

“Why dontcha go join the medical corps if you’re so good, huh?” the small girl snapped, crossing her arms. He scowled at her, stepping back up to her and leaning in. His temper was short, it always had been, but somehow he’d already burned through it.

 

“I don’t need training to know you take damage like it won’t affect you and don’t take care of yourself afterward. When you get hurt it drags the whole team down,”

 

“I still managed to carry your ass out of that fight,” She spat, snarling up at him. Was it just his imagination or did she look… feral? “When you were out like a light, Sakura and I dragged your ass through that forest, through traps and shit, and got you here. Shoulder and all,” she slapped herself over her bandages. He slammed his hand beside her head, trying to get her to flinch. She didn’t. She just crossed her arms and glared at him. 

 

“I didn’t do much,” Sakura snapped. They both turned their glares on her. She had her hands on her hips, staring Sasuke down, though without the same conviction as Naru, “I just tried to keep up. It was Naru-chan who carried you. You should thank her, and stop being a jerk,”

 

Sasuke was taken aback. His mind flicked back to what Naru had said on the night they’d fought.  _ Well, she’s moved on. _ And here she was, coming to Naru’s defence, going so far as to insult him. He returned his glare at Naru, who was frowning up at him.

 

“Okay, so I was the one who carried you, but I didn’t do it for you Teme, I did it so  _ I _ could keep going in this test. All three of us had to make it, remember? So don’t bother thanking me. Just back off,” She snarled, punching him in the chest, under his extended arm, and stamping on his foot, “And take a shower, you gross bastard,”

 

He rubbed his chest where she’d punched him, and watched her as she marched across the room and pulled a towel from a previously unnoticed cupboard. she threw it at him, and he caught it, striding out of the room, and slamming the door behind himself. 

 

He threw the towel over his shoulder, and looked up and down the curving hallway. he turned to his right, and strode along, looking for the shower block. Something was bothering him about Sakura. She was her usual annoying self, but… To defend Naru? His mind jumped to the love letter. Naru had hurriedly shoved it into her pocket when she realised he was following. Why would she hide it from him if it didn’t have anything to do with him? More specifically, why would Sakura ask Naru for romantic advice? Why was it bothering him so much? He located the shower block and turned into it, hanging his towel up and then shrugging his clothes off. He peeled away the bandage on his neck, looking down at the two little spots of blood that marked it. he remembered Naru, flying in and punching the grass ninja back, away from him. Keeping him safe. He imagined how hard it must have been to carry him all the way to the tower. How had she gotten in?

 

Then he realised. She must have stolen the scrolls from him while he was preoccupied with wrapping her arms. He scrubbed his own arms roughly.  _ She really never gives up. _ He should have been worried about the ease at which she had stolen from him. He should have been worried about the grass nin who had attacked them, not for the scrolls, but for him. He should have been worried about where his brother was, but the only thing on his mind, at that moment, with water running over fresh wounds and sore muscles, was a love letter without a recipient, and Naru’s bandages not being wound thickly enough to do her any good.

 

_ You’re not as good as you think you are.  _ Her voice echoed through his head.  _ You’re not as good as you think you are.  _

 

_ You need to stop underestimating people, Sasuke-kun, especially me. _

 

Every time. Every time he thought he’d seen the best she could do, she surprised him. She was sloppy, she had no mind for strategy and her attacks were too direct. She took damage like she was disposable. Yet she won. She always seemed to win. She’d push herself to the limits of her endurance. Like she wasn’t scared to die, like every fight was the fight she’d been training for her whole life. She left nothing to bring her home.

 

How could he help it? She was far too easy to underestimate. But even so, why could his mind not let her go? Why did it always swing back to her, like it had once done Itachi? Was she truly his rival? He had never thought of her as such, but how could it be helped now? Now she’d defeated enemies that had driven him to the ground, now that she’d carried him from a battle he could not have possibly won if she’d not been there, how could he continue to feel himself superior to her when she so consistently exceeded his expectations?

 

How could he get strong enough to avenge his family if he continued to fail acknowledging such an obvious proof that he was lagging behind in his training? That he was being surpassed by a teammate that had only become his teammate due to her incompetence compared to how he had excelled stung. He had allowed himself to plateau, to be satisfied with himself. He had been vain. 

 

He turned the water off, his mind made up. If he had had such a large head start on Naru, and he had trained as hard as she had, there was no telling how strong he could have been by now. It was an opportunity lost. He towelled himself off and got dressed. He draped the towel over his shoulders to catch the drips coming from his hair, and he moved for the door. Before he could reach it, it opened, and the bully, Kankuro, strode in. He froze when he saw Sasuke, and narrowed his eyes.

 

“What are you looking at?” Sasuke snapped, pulling on either side of the towel. The boy straightened his back and looked down at the younger ninja.

 

“Nothing. Just surprised you twerps made it this far, that’s all,” He sneered, walking past him and hanging his towel up. Sasuke didn’t bother responding, and made for the door. He heard the this of the boy setting down his bandaged backpack, but before Sasuke could leave, the boy laughed and turned to him. “Does that mean my little blondie is here too?”

 

Sasuke froze, a shiver running up his spine.  _ Anticipation. _ He turned, slowly, facing the boy. He pulled the towel off his shoulders slowly, letting it fall to the floor. Kankuro had taken off this hoodie to reveal a black tshirt, which he now pulled off. He was older and it showed, his muscles were more developed than Sasuke’s, physically, at least. The sand nin sneered. Sasuke knew he was egging him on, knew his continuing to undress was supposed to be a power move.

 

Sasuke smirked. He stepped forward and…

 

Someone kicked the door in, startling both of them. Naru stood, fists at her side, glaring around.

 

“Teme, you sluggish loser, what's taking you so long?” She barked, her fanged teeth bared as she glared up at him. She stomped into the boy’s shower block, unabashed. She’d pushed her headband back up to her head, pushing her hair back. Sasuke disliked the sight of it. He wanted his bumbling friend back, not this soldier that could beat people more powerful than even him.

 

“Nothing. Let’s go,” He said, turning around and grabbing Naru’s arm, making to drag her out. He looked back at Kankuro, who was smirking at Naru.

 

“Hey tomboy!” Kankuro laughed, trudging to the door, shirtless, and leaning out into the hallway, “You still haven’t made good on our deal!” He slammed the door back up into its place, and they could hear him chuckling to himself as Sasuke dragged her down the hall. Naru yanked her arm from Sasuke’s grip.

 

“Were you gonna fight that guy? He wasn’t even dressed!”

 

“That was his choice,” Sasuke snapped, making to grab her arm again, but she slapped his hand away, and then his face. Sasuke reached up in shock and held the place her hand had struck. 

 

“If you’re going to act like this then go back to sleep!” She shouted, “You behave like a spoiled brat. I don’t know what that lady did to you but if this is what you’re like after your first hickey then I’m glad you won’t ever have a girlfriend!” 

 

He grabbed her around the throat and slammed her into the wall. She grasped his arm and made to break his grip, but he grabbed her wrist with his other hand and pinned it to the wall. He leaned in to her, putting his face close to hers, keeping his expression as blank as possible as he stared her down. her face was slowly turning red as he crushed down on her neck, but her gaze never wavered. She stared right back into his eyes like she was searching for something.

 

“You need to learn when to keep your big mouth shut, I’m pissed off and now is not the time to test me,” He whispered, drawing even closer to her, their noses almost touching. 

 

Naru suddenly brought her legs up, wrapping them around his arm and snapping her body straight again like a bowstring, throwing him to the ground and into the wall with so much force that the drywall broke, sending out a puff of gritty white dust that stuck to his wet hair.

 

She dislocated his thumb and pulled his hand off her neck, looking down as his pained face disdainfully. “You think too much of yourself,” She hissed, stomping on his chest, “You  _ still _ underestimate me and you  _ still _ don’t realise. I don’t  _ fucking _ care if you’re mad at me, Teme. I’m gonna always be right behind you, either keeping you safe or kicking your ass, depending on what the situation calls for, and until you get your big boy pants on and realise what the  _ hell _ I’m about, you’re gonna deal with whatever I give you,”

 

“Who’s… cocky… now?” He grunted, yanking on one of her legs. She buckled, but recovered, bringing her knee down on his chest with her full weight. All the air rushed from his body.

 

She stood, popped his thumb back into its joint, and picked him up, leaning him against the wall and looking into his eyes.

 

“You need to realise I’m not your enemy. We’re a team,” She looked up at him as he stood, rubbing his chest, “I like fighting you as practice, not for real,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Don’t Sit Down Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair, Arctic Monkeys
> 
> Sasuke: United States of Whatever, Liam Lynch
> 
> sakura: Take Me Out, Franz Ferdinand


	19. Naru, How To Food

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru tries to feed her friend

She had been so happy to see him awake, to see Sakura and Sasuke breaking away from a hug, almost sad that she’d interrupted. But he wasn’t… the same. She looked into his eyes, searching in them for her cocky, smirking, sullen best friend.

 

_ He’s getting distant, _ She thought, wanting to grab him, shake him,  _ how do I get him back? _

 

Hue stared down at her, blank, empty, in pain. She shook her head.  _ He’s just woke up, he’s been out for two days. Cut the guy some slack. You gotta stop beating him up for twenty minutes and let him get his bearings. _

 

He looked back up the hallway, as though he wanted to go back and jump that Kankuro kid. She wanted to grab him, shake him, make him talk to her. She knew he wouldn’t but she wanted to try. He was her best friend. There was no reason for him to shut her out. Her frustration bubbled, low in her stomach. He was so insolent. So insistent on being alone. Never letting anyone in.

 

“Let’s go get food. You haven’t eaten,” She stepped back and turned the opposite direction from the shower block, leading Sasuke down the spiralling hallway. it must have been sloped, because they climbed no stairs, but somehow they never circled back. after about five minutes, they came across a mess hall. Naru went straight for the kitchen, and opened the fridge. She grabbed a milk carton and pulled it out, setting it on the counter. she paused, draping her arm over the door, and then pulled out some random fruits and vegetables, which she threw into the sink. she slammed the door and reached into a cupboard for some cereal. then she turned the tap on, water rushing over the apples, red peppers and broccoli she’d thrown in.

 

She pulled out a bowl, a spoon, and some paper towel. Naru could feel Sasuke staring at her. She dried the fruit and peppers, and set the broccoli on the towel. She broke it in half down the stalk and handed him one side of it. She poured herself a bowl of cereal, then looked over her shoulder at him. He was holding the broccoli in a loose grip, and staring at it like it was some alien plant, possibly poisonous.

 

“Do you want some?” She offered. He looked dumbfounded.

 

“What the hell are you doing?” he asked, pointing at the pile of red fruit.

 

“Getting food ready? For eating? Thought it was obvious,” 

 

“All of this? Raw? Together?” He pointed at the mixture of food, the bowl, the broccoli, and the fruit. She blinked.  _ Maybe he has brain damage. _

 

“It’s food, you eat it, right?” She mimed putting food into her mouth, staring at him. He just stared back, the corner of his mouth twitching as though he was expecting her to burst out laughing at him. Was he annoyed? At food?  _ Definitely brain damaged. Oh god, he doesn’t know what food is anymore!  _

 

“Here, look,” she said, slowly, picking up a pepper and showing it to him. He stared at it. She brought it to her mouth and took a bite, shifting the mouthful to her cheek, “See? Just eat it,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Mardy Bum, Arctic Monkeys  
> (fuck you I like the arctic monkeys)
> 
> Sasuke: Someone New, Hozier  
> (Fuck you I like hozier)


	20. Sasuke, Why Do You Do These Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke is impressed by the fact that Naru is literally a feral fox child

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this if from experience actually, I used to just eat raw vegetables until my friend told me people don’t eat onions and stuff raw. I never knew. I also used to eat apples from the bottom up. The dangers of leaving children alone. They become weird.

He stared at her, then it clicked. She’d never had anyone cook for her. The hokage sent a ninja to drop off food every now and again, but no one had ever made sure she knew how to eat it. He watched as she crunched into the bell pepper like an apple. No wonder she liked Ramen so much, when she went out to eat, her food was actually cooked. Once she’d eaten the entire pepper, she flicked the stem at him and began eating the apple… Bottom up, core and all. Once she’d finished, she crunched away at the cereal she’d poured herself.

 

“You just gonna stare? Eat!” She gestured at the broccoli in his hand. He stared down at it, and took a bite out of the head. It was entirely unappetising, but he  _ was  _ starving. He kept stealing glances at her as she dipped her broccoli into her left over milk and ate it like that. 

 

_ She’s a psychopath. It’s the only way that would make sense. Or she’s an alien. _ When he was finished with the broccoli, she passed him a pepper, which he held in both hands, as though to hide it, and bit into. It actually wasn’t bad. It was all just so surprising.

 

“I’ve been training in an abandoned room I found at the top. If you want to come with me and get some of your aggression out, you’re welcome to. But I’m not in the mood to spar, so don’t bother trying to convince me,” she said, starting on another pepper.

 

Sasuke rotated his own pepper. “Hnn,” He looked up at her. She was bullshitting. She was always in the mood to spar. He’d never known her to turn down a fight.  _ Except with that idiot, Kankuro. _ Anger flared in his stomach at the thought of that guy’s smug face. How he’d called Naru ‘his blondie’. Sasuke wanted to beat that expression off his face and then burn him to a crisp.

 

“So? Are you coming?” She asked, eyebrows raised. He nodded, tossing his stem aside. She passed him an apple, and began washing her bowl. He stood, and walked around the dining hall. There had to be more nin than just their team and the sand who had gotten through. 

 

“Who else is here?”

 

“So far? Uh,” she squinted at the ceiling as she rinsed the dishes, “Shikamaru, Choji and Ino are here,” She said, beginning to dry the bowl, “Some of those Sound Village Clowns, and of course you’ve seen that the Sand made it,”

 

“Is that all?” He was surprised. He’d expected more. Naru shrugged.

 

“There’s a few more days. We got really lucky those guys who ambushed us in the beginning had the scroll we needed. It could have been a lot harder. When you think about it, you could have to fight a couple of teams before you get the right scroll, and if you get hurt, then you have to recover a little before you keep going,” she shot him a sharp look as she began drying the spoon, “We’d still be out there for sure if you’d kept those stupid scrolls. You were ready to whip them at that Grass hag the second she cast a Genjutsu,”

 

“You don’t know what you’re talking about, you have no idea-“

 

“Either way, I’m glad I took them. The way some of these guys are acting… Those grass people, the Sound…” A dark look passed over her face, “there’s something wrong here,” she put the dishes away and turned back to him with a grin.

 

“Let’s go train, yeah?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke: The Middle, Jimmy Eat World
> 
> Naru: Girl all the Bad Guys Want, Bowling For Soup


	21. Naru, The Ability To Mess Up Multiple People At Once

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru gains a skill and sasuke is surprised.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so Sasuke is dope at knife stuff. This is a Fact™️

Naru had her eyes closed and was throwing kunai at a target she had smeared on the wall with mud. They were clustering fine, but she occasionally had an outlier. Sasuke was doing pushups in the corner, clapping between every other one. Naru looked over at him after her ninth Kunai in a row clustered.

 

“Hey, come over here,”

 

Sasuke looked up at her, throwing himself into the air, bringing his hands together and slamming them back onto the ground before he fell. “What?” He gasped, lowering himself to the ground again. Naru beckoned to him, and he got up, striding over.

 

“You’re better at this than me, how do you do that thing where you make the kunai glance off of each other to hit two targets at once?”

 

“Uh,” Sasuke rubbed the back of his neck, squinting at her, “you have to throw them really fast, you might not be-“

 

“I didn’t ask you if you thought I could,” She snapped, throwing a kunai between them, without looking. It clustered. She heard the metal clink against other knives, “I asked you how you do it,”

 

Sasuke shrugged and pulled two knives from the table where Naru had stabbed her spares. Naru stood back, and he twirled them around his fingers.

 

“You have to understand the weight of the knife, and throw the second kinda… harder? I guess? So it catches up with the first one. And when they hit each other, if they hit each other at the right angle…” He threw the knives, one a half second after the other. Naru watched them meet in mid air, one hitting the other, and both diverting the other. One hit the target in front of Sasuke, right in the middle of her cluster, and the other stuck in the wall next to them. Naru looked over at the second one and…

 

“Is that… Did you just kill a fly with that knife?” She said, striding over and staring at it. 

 

“It was bothering me,” He said, shrugging. Naru looked back at him, eyes glowing, face split in an impossibly wide grin.

 

“Teme! That’s amazing. Can you throw them one more time? I wanna see where you put your fingers!”

 

Sasuke nodded curtly and did it again, but the knives fell to the floor after glancing off the last ones he’d buried into the walls. Naru stood, her mouth open, staring at them. Sasuke stood.

 

“Less impressive, I know, but…”

 

“Less impressive? I thought I was good for clustering consistently! You just mirrored the previous throw exactly! Damn, I have even more work to do than I thought!” Naru grinned, grabbing the knives out of the wall and off the floor, then stabbing them all into the table. She pulled two out, stood next to Sasuke, and showed him her grip.

 

“Like that?”

 

“No, move your thumb up a little,” He said, gesturing vaguely. She looked down and shifted her thumb a little further up the knife’s handle. Sasuke shook his head. “No… like…” he reached out and prodded her thumb a little to the right. She accommodated his nudge, but he only frowned and shook his head.

 

“Up a little?” Naru asked, shifting her grip higher. Sasuke glanced up at her face and back down at the knife in her hand.

 

“You… Have tiny hands… and they’re kinda… broad, I guess? I think your grip is gonna just be different than mine,”

 

Naru stabbed a knife into the table and stared at her hand. Her hand was square, and her fingers were blunt looking, given how short her nails were. She held it out next to Sasuke’s and it did look small. He had long, thin fingers and slim palms, they looked… smart, somehow. Both his and her hands were calloused and scarred, but her hands looked like little battering rams compared to his.

 

Sasuke shook his head. “Naru, you probably can’t do this. Leave knives to Sakura and I, you’re more a brute strength type of ninja,”

 

Naru smirked up at him. “You scared I’m gonna get better than you at your own game?” She yanked a knife out of the table.

 

“No, I just don’t want you to get discouraged,” He admitted, shrugging. She turned, putting her back toward him. She whipped one after the other, they clashed in mid-air, but went flying in random directions. One lodged in the ceiling, one in the floor. Naru sent another pair. They wound up in the walls this time, but nowhere near the targets. 

 

“Breathe, before you throw them. You forget, I have Sharingan, You don’t have it,”

 

“I don’t need Sharingan,” Naru hissed, whipping more knives. They both wound up in the floor this time. Sasuke shook his head, and set a table on its side to catch any stray knives before resuming his pushups. 

 

She threw more. One after another, she threw them. They stuck into the walls, the ceiling, the floor. One even lodged itself in the toe of her sandal, millimeters from her foot. She lost track of time, and the sun had begun to decline in the sky. She could hear Sasuke occasionally switch his workouts. She wasn’t clustering, not even close, but when she turned her hand slightly, and flicked her wrist on the second throw…

 

She yelled, jumping on the spot and punching the air. Sasuke peeked his head over the side of his makeshift barricade.

 

“Did you stab yourself?”

 

“No! I got it! I actually hit them! Look!”

 

Sasuke stood, hopping over his table and coming to look. He raised his eyebrows.

 

“Do it again,” he said. She crouched a little and…

 

They clustered. His eyebrows shot even higher.

 

“Again,” He said, stepping closer. She grabbed four knives, and threw them in quick succession. It wasn’t perfect, but there they were, stuck deep into the wall. Four loosely clustered kunai.

 

“Try…” Sasuke came closer, stood behind her, placed his arm alongside hers. “When you follow through, keep going, and if you lift your pinkie, you’ll take that drag off,”

 

She tried again, following his directions. Her kunai glanced off those already buried in the wall and she whipped around, grinning at Sasuke. He blinked, his arms still out slightly. She leapt on him, yelling incoherently. 

 

“Ahhhhh! I can’t even with this, dude, oh my gods! This is the sickest shit on the planet-did you see that!” She said, bouncing up and down, her hands gripping his arms tightly as she beamed.

 

“Yeah,” he smiled, nodding at her, “yeah, I saw,”

 

“I can’t believe I did it! Look!,” she turned and did it again. More knives on the ground. She squealed and hugged him.

 

Sasuke laughed, pulling away from her, holding her forearms in his hands, “Let’s go grab some food to celebrate, its past lunch by a long shot,”

 

“Okay! I noticed a few green peppers and there’s a lot more broccoli-“

 

“Uh, how about I cook something?” He offered. She looked at him, surprised. 

 

“You know how to cook?”

 

“Well my mom left behind some family recipes, so I kinda felt like I should learn them… you know, as a way of keeping tradition alive,” He mumbled, stretching as they made their way down the hall. Naru nodded thoughtfully.

 

“I…” she stopped, and looked out, away from Sasuke. He turned his head slightly and elbowed her.

 

“You what?” 

 

She shook her head, smiling sadly at him. “It’s lame, forget it,”

 

“Tell me,” he said, elbowing her again.

 

She hesitated, eyeing him. He looked earnest, but she wasn’t sure if he’d judge her for the words buzzing behind her teeth. It was a minute before she swallowed and said, quickly, before she could change her mind, “I really wish my parents had… left me something, I mean… I don’t even know who my dad was, and I only know about my mom cause of my family name,”

 

Sasuke looked at her, a peculiar expression marking his sharp features. She looked away, feeling her face heat up. It was a few minutes this time before he responded.

 

“That… really sucks, Naru,” He muttered, looking up at the ceiling, putting his hands behind his head. “I’m sorry,”

 

She shrugged, still not looking at him. He punched her in the arm. “Wanna race down to the mess hall?”

 

She grinned at him. “You’re on, Teme,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Peaches, The Presidents Of The United States Of America
> 
> Sasuke: Lump, The Presidents Of The United States Of America


	22. Sasuke, and the inability to get into a decent fight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke cooks some food and gets beat up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you knew it was gonna happen

Sasuke made it into the mess hall first, and it was empty. He turned, grinning smugly as Naru burst in after him, but she didn’t stop, she reached out her arms and full-body tackled him. They toppled over, hitting the ground with a thud that shook the room. Sasuke’s muscles screamed in protest. Naru rolled off him and laughed, throwing her arms to the sides, one traipsing over him. he reached down and tightened up the knot of her bandage. She looked up at him and rolled her eyes.

 

“Will you stop with that?” She groaned, slowly lifting her arm away and spreading her hand wide in midair, looking at it with a faint smile on her face. Sasuke looked at it too, unsure of the feelings churning in his stomach. Pride and jealousy? and something else?

 

“I’m surprised you haven’t bled through those yet. You didn’t already scab, did you?”

 

“Uh…” Naru hesitated, looking away, “I think Sakura put something on them,”

 

Sasuke shrugged and got up, walking into the tower’s kitchen. Naru propped herself up on her elbows and watched him, but he put in effort not to look at her. He had started feeling uncomfortable again, like he was in an unfamiliar danger.

 

Like he was paying Naru too much attention.

 

Still, he felt her watching him, her body against cold tile, her legs straight out with her feet pointed in opposite directions. Awkward and strange in a body too small for her flaming disaster of a personality.

 

He felt her get up, and he heard her walk over, picking up an apple off the counter and biting into the bottom of it, her eyes burning holes in the side of his face as he washed vegetables. She didn’t say anything, which made it worse, because she wasn’t ever quiet like this. Never.

 

“What?” He snapped, staring back at her after another full minute of silence. She was smiling at him, leaning over the counter, like she was laughing to herself at a joke she remembered. Her bright blue eyes were dancing with that light that she always seemed to carry with her.

 

“I was just thinking about you and Sakura,” She laughed, turning her back on the counter and looking over the room, biting into her apple, core and all, and chewing it slowly.

 

“Sakura and I? What about us?”

 

“I’m just… I’m glad we’re on a team together. The three of us. I’m just…” She laughed a little, covering her mouth so she didn’t spit her apple out, “It’s just funny you guys think you have to hide it from me,”

 

“Hide what?” He asked, staring at her as he set out the chopping board. She looked over at him, surprised.

 

“That you, ya know, like each other, and stuff,” She laughed again at the expression that took over Sasuke’s face.

 

“What?!” he yelped, the knife stilling in his hand. His stomach dropped. She actually thinks…?

 

Naru rolled her eyes and made to flick his shoulder, but he leaned away. She jumped up to sit on the counter.

 

“Oh come on, how dumb do you think I am? You’re super jealous over her all the time, and I saw how close you guys were after you woke up. If you’re keeping it a secret cause you think I’ll be upset about Sakura, don’t worry, I’m pretty much over her and… well, I want you guys to be happy!”

 

“Sakura and I aren’t… we aren’t like that,” He said, continuing to cut the vegetables in front of him. Naru shook her head, slouching against the cabinets behind her. Something inside Sasuke purred, however, at what Naru had just said. He was glad, he guessed, that he had been wrong in thinking something was between his teammates, and that the group’s dynamic wasn’t going to be ruined by two of its members dating.

 

“You don’t have to lie, you know, you can tell me the truth,” She said, smiling, leaning forward. He wished she’d stop fidgeting and just stay still.

 

“It is the truth, really,” he said, tossing the vegetables into the boiling water along with some salt and garlic.

 

“Okay, okay, I get it, ya don’t wanna talk about it with me, but just so ya know, I love you both, and I just want you to know you totally have my blessing, go nuts,” She laughed, throwing her hands up and shaking her head. Sasuke glared at her.

 

“I don’t-“ Sasuke started, but Naru slid off the counter.

 

“I have to go to the bathroom, be right back,” She said, punching his arm and striding off. He sighed, and turned back to the beef he was slicing.

 

Once he had fried the beef and added it to the stew, he left it to cook on a low heat and sat down, considering everything that had happened. He had noticed his temper seemed almost… artificially short. And that his protective instinct for Naru had doubled. He thought briefly of Kankuro, shirtless, talking to Naru, and broke a fork that he had been holding.

 

He thought of Naru’s grin as she had talked about he and Sakura together and felt a twinge of sadness, but he didn’t understand why.

 

There was a small crash as the door to the cafeteria swung open. Instantlu, he was on his feet, fists clenched, ready for a fight.

 

Standing in the doorway was the kid from before, Rock Lee, and his team. He was looking over his shoulder, talking to the girl. He hadn’t seen Sasuke yet, but the girl had. She froze and grabbed Rock’s wrist, whispering something, her lips barely moving. Both the Hyuuga boy and Rock turned and glared at Sasuke, who smirked.

 

“It looks like we will have our fight after all,” Rock said, striding forward and snapping into his combat pose from before. Sasuke moved into his and nodded.

 

“Let’s do this, it should be quick enough,” He sneered, not caring that a voice in the back of his head (that sounded like Naru) was screaming at him for being cocky. Rock Lee grinned, and Sasuke activated his Sharingan.

 

Sasuke threw a punch, but Rock dodged it easily. He went to punch again, faster, and swept his left leg at the back of Rock’s knees, but he avoided those blows too, easily, leaping into the air and flipping backward.

 

Then Rock struck. He was fast. Too fast. Sasuke couldn’t keep up, and before he knew what was happening he had been kicked into the air. He could sense Rock behind him, suspended as if in slow motion. He heard him mutter something that sounded like ‘sorry Sensei’ And knew he had lost, his neck was burning, the sensation spreading, a strange energy thrumming through his veins, he closed his eyes.

 

Then there was a familiar deafening shout. His eyes flew open and he tried to turn his head.

 

“I can’t even take a piss without you getting into trouble!”

 

A hand wrapped around his ankle and yanked him out of the air, whipping him straight into the ground. He grunted, staring up at a red-faced and furious Naru.

 

“You fucking idiot, how long did you think I’d be gone? You really thought you’d be able to get into a fight and finish it before I came back, you cocky dickhead?” She bent down and yanked him off the broken tiles beneath him by his collar.

 

“Get off me Naru, I was handling it,”

 

“Yeah handling it by getting your ass kicked by Bushy Brows over here,”

 

“Naru-San! Please allow this fight to continue!” Rock said, standing behind her and clenching his fists, looking ready to give some impassioned speech. Naru turned to him and smiled, dropping Sasuke on his feet and stepping away from him, and she punched Rock gently in the shoulder.

 

“I told ya, Caterpillar head, you don’t have to prove yourself against anyone,” She pointed over her shoulder at Sasuke, who was drawing closer, glaring at the back of her head, “Especially not this guy, he uses chakra for his pushups,”

 

Sasuke hissed, indignant. He could hear the other girl, Tenten?, trying to smother her laughter behind her hand. Rock stared down at Naru in amazement, But then smiled.

 

“You are right, I suppose,” He said, holding out his hand for her to shake, but she looked down, closed his hand, and fist bumped him. Sasuke rolled his eyes and strode into the kitchen. He stirred the stew and put some rice on. Tenten followed him and began raiding the refrigerator. She started to wash up vegetables and shooting pointed glances his way. He ignored her.

 

“You know, she just saved your life,” She whispered. He just kept ignoring her. She pressed on anyway. “That was a kill move,” she said, placing a cucumber and some tomatoes aside. “I was shocked he was using it, that move… our sensei forbade it. It could have really killed you,”

 

“She’s still annoying,” He said, “and I wouldn’t have died,” He glanced over his shoulder at Naru and Rock, who were laughing together, Naru wiping tears from her eyes. The Hyuuga boy had his arms crossed, and was watching them with a weird mixture of boredom and disapproval on his face.

 

“You should be glad there is someone who’ll look out for you like her,” She said, “Listen, I’m not in the business of dispensing advice, it doesn’t matter to me if you appreciate your teammate or not, I don’t actually care at all, but if someone had just yanked me out of the air and slammed me into the ground to save my ass? I’d be real honest with myself about why they had to do that in the first place,”

 

Sasuke looked at Tenten, who was smiling at him, knife flashing as she chopped salad vegetables without looking. “You don’t know anything about Naru and I,” he snapped.

 

“In your case, you’re right, I don’t know you. But listen, Rock has an inferiority complex, it’s cute sometimes, but mainly it’s just what makes him so eager to get so strong. Naru has that same look in her eyes. She’s gonna prove herself, and watch out when she decides to, cause, well... Like I said. Rock was about to kill you,” she grinned and put the salad into a massive bowl, grabbed enough plates and chopsticks for her team, and walked by him.

 

“He wouldn’t have killed me,” Sasuke said again, annoyance in every syllable. Tenten just waved the plates and left the kitchen. He strained the rice and doled out some on two plates. He had cooked too much. He always did. He glanced over his shoulder, at Naru, talking to Tenten and Rock eagerly. The Hyuuga boy was staring at his plate.

 

He split the food up onto five plates.

 

“Hey Naru, come help me with these,” He shouted. Naru came bounding over, and when she saw the five heaping plates, she grinned like a maniac. He scowled at her.

 

“Shut up,”

 

“I didn’t say anything,” She laughed, grabbing forks and spoons enough for everyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sasuke: I’m just a kid, Simple Plan
> 
> Naru: Let’s Leave, Ida Maria
> 
> Rock Lee: I Wanna Rock, Twisted Sister
> 
> Tenten: Quite Nice People, Ida Maria
> 
> Neji: Science Fiction, Arctic Monkeys  
> (I must admit you gave me something momentarily  
> In which I could believe  
> But the hand of harsh reality's un-gloved  
> And it's on its way back in to scoop you up)


	23. Naru, And the Beauty of a Good Meal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru likes to eat and is glad other people do too. also: Sasuke is an asshole.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru is obsessed with people who want nothing to do with her.

Naru, Tenten and Rock were all talking animatedly, shoveling food into their mouths. Neji was eating slowly, looking directly ahead of him, and Sasuke was watching them, deadpanning.

 

“This is so good Teme!” Naru squealed, her mouth full, her legs kicking. He nodded and looked down at his plate. Naru grinned and turned back to Rock.

 

“So anyway, that’s what happened in the land of waves, and Sasuke-kun was pretty good, but I was really sad that Haku died, he didn’t deserve what he got,”

 

“That sounds very distressing, Naru-san,” Rock said, stuffing some salad that Tenten made into his mouth as he spoke. Naru nodded solemnly.

 

“I feel sad about him sometimes. Sometimes I think about what he said to me,” her voice drifted off, looking away, toward the ceiling. Tenten clapped her hands and rubbed them together.

 

“Well this was good. I’m glad we all made it through okay, I mean, I bet some people died during this test,”

 

“Yeah,” Naru said, turning her spoon over itself in her hand and biting her cheek, “Sakura killed a guy,”

 

“What?” Rock gasped, setting his utensils down and staring at Naru. Naru looked up at him, frowning.

 

“She had to. It was life or death,” Naru lied. She knew there was probably a way that she could have played the game so that they wouldn’t have had to kill anyone, but she didn’t regret the man’s death.

 

“I am just… I am surprised. That is all,” he said, frowning. Naru shrugged.

 

“Sakura is a tough cookie when it comes down to it, it just doesn’t come down to it that often,” Naru looked down at her plate again, prodding a lump of meat through her rice. She glanced up at Lee, then her eyes flicked, almost involuntarily, toward Sasuke, who was focusing on a point a few inches above her head. She looked over her shoulder, at the door, and then back at Lee. “Listen, Bushy Brows, I get that you like Sakura and stuff, but she’s kinda… taken? Or at least, in her head she is. Best to move on,”

 

Rock looked at her, chewing as he considered her words. After a little while, he swallowed and said,. “I will not give up on Sakura, Naru-San, but I understand what you are trying to do and appreciate the effort,” 

 

“Whatever man, no skin off my back either way,” Naru shrugged again, glancing at Sasuke, trying to gauge a reaction. Her stomach dropped when she realised he was staring straight into her face, still deadpanning. She had to bite back a laugh at her own reaction. She’d actually let Sasuke intimidate her for a second. 

 

“Sakura is your teammate isn’t she? Where is she now?” Tenten asked, looking at the door as if she’d suddenly walk in. Naru smiled.

 

“Yeah, she’s probably reading up on some stuff. She zones out and studies for hours. We’ll bring her some food after this,”

 

“She brought books? To the exam?” Tenten asked, incredulous. Naru nodded, grinning now.

 

“Only stuff she thought would be useful, she’s the real brains of the operation, she isn’t really a hardcore fighter,”

 

“What? Is she weak or something?” Tenten asked, wrinkling her nose. Naru jumped as a solid kick landed on her shin. She looked up at Sasuke, who was glaring intensely at her. She looked innocently back, trying to figure out what he meant.

 

“Sakura-san is very skilled at chakra control and strategy,” Sasuke interjected, not breaking eye contact with Naru, “And is incredibly intelligent, which makes her invaluable on a team with a knucklehead like Dobe, see, teams are about balance,” he shifted his gaze over Tenten, Rock and Neji, who, for the first time, was looking away from his plate and straight at Sasuke. “I’m surprised you don’t understand the value of teammates with different sets of skills,”

 

“Of course I know that!” Tenten snarled, flattening her hand out on the table, her fork snapping against the wood. “I just can’t stand the idea of having to carry a weak teammate,”

 

“Well. Rock, Neji, be sure to never get injured on a mission, because you heard it here first,” Sasuke sneered, “Tenten will not carry a teammate,”

 

“That’s not what I-“ Tenten started, but Neji cleared his throat and they all fell silent, staring down the table at him. He stood, and held out a hand.

 

“Thank you for the food,” He said, diplomatically, “if you’d like, I’ll take any plates you have finished with,” He looked down his nose at Naru, who hadn’t touched her food in a good few minutes. She got up too, shaking her head. 

 

“No, that’s okay, I’ll get the dishes. You all just got here-“

 

“I am  _ not  _ tired,” He said, pulling Tenten’s salad bowl toward himself and collecting Rock’s plate. Naru grabbed Sasuke’s and Tenten’s and the utensils littering the table. 

 

“I’ll help you then,” She bit out, glaring at him. There was something about him that just set her off. Like Sasuke but  _ worse _ somehow. Something about his silent, self satisfied demeanour.

 

He pissed her off.

 

They both strode into the kitchen and set the dishes in the sink, but Neji nudged her firmly out of the way, standing squarely in front of the sink, wordlessly turning it on and starting to wash the dishes. Naru stared at him, running her tongue along her teeth, and then grabbed kitchen roll, laying some out on the counter and then waiting for Neji to finish the first dish. When he did, she pulled it out of his grip and dried it, then she put it away and yanked another plate from his hands. She stared straight at his face while she did it. He just continued to stare at the dishes, but he never passed her a dish, she had to pull each one from him. When it became a little too routine, Naru broke the silence.

 

“You’re related to Hinata, aren’t you?”

 

The handsome boy didn’t respond, but his knuckles went white around the fork in his grip. Naru smiled.  _ So you are here with me, you stuck up… _

 

“I love Hinata! She’s the cutest lil thing. She’s a real sweetheart. Are you her big brother or…?” Naru trailed off, leaning in as she yanked the fork out of his hand and dried it, eyes fixed on his face. He still didn’t look at her, but…

 

“Cousin,” He growled, “Hinata is my cousin,” He made no more effort to further the conversation. Naru, however, felt her face split into a wide grin.

 

“Oh cool! You guys look alike, I mean, obviously the…” She waved her hand in front of her face, “eyes, but you have the same cheekbones, and the chin,” Naru reached up and poked him in the cheek. He twitched, but didn’t acknowledge her further. Naru narrowed her eyes for a split second, but then she pulled another plate from his hands, and when she put it away, she grabbed the pots and pans Sasuke had used, and the cutting board and knife Tenten had used, and came back, setting them at his other side. She wrested a spoon from his grip, and waved it in his face.

 

“While you're being so helpful, we can do this stuff too,”

 

He glanced at the pile, his eyes widening slightly. Naru just kept grinning at him. “So the eyeballs, are like, part of your Kekkei Genkai right? Can’t you do some crazy stuff like Sasuke with his Sharingan?”

 

“It is a Kekkei Genkai, yes,” He responded shortly. He didn’t elaborate. She pulled a fork out of his hands and ran the towel over it. He glanced at her when he thought she wouldn’t see. She waltzed to the side of the sink she'd originally been on and grinned at him.

 

“Cool! Ya know, I wish I had a big clan like you,” She said. He stiffened, his hands slowing.  _ Bad move if you were trying to loosen him up, but as far as reactions go, there’s one for sure. _ She thought, putting the fork down and jumping to sit on the counter.

 

“I always imagined a big family, but ya know, I’m sure it’s just like any big group of people. Sometimes you like each other, sometimes you don’t,” She glanced at him. He was still like a little dishwashing statue. She frowned.

 

“It’s okay though,” She said, leaning over and yanking a knife out of his hands. He dragged the heaviest pot into the sink as she dried it. “I think you can build your own kind of family, and that’s what I’m gonna do,”

 

He looked up at her, gaze unwavering, the hot water pouring out of the tap filling the pot. 

 

“That’s ridiculous,” He said, fixing her eyes. Her heart stuttered strangely. He was dead cold. “You can’t change families. You are born into one, and that’s it,”

 

Naru set the knife down, leaning forward a little, smiling at him, less because she wanted to smile and more because she wanted to show him she didn’t care what he thought. “I wasn’t born into a family,” 

 

His eyes looped around her face and back to her eyes, then narrowed. His mouth thinned, and she could see his mind working behind those transparent eyes. 

 

“So you will never have anyone at all, and that’s why you are still so alone,” He didn’t flinch as he said it. He truly believed it. He made her sad, this boy, who believed so wholly in what was prescribed for person at birth. As though your path was laid out for you from the second you begin to be. This young soul who wholly believed that he had no control over his own destiny, that he thought everyone else was a fool for holding theirs in their own hands. She leaned all her weight on one arm and looked back at him for a moment, measuring his features, like she was committing them to memory.

 

“I’m not alone now.” She smiled, tilting her head as the pot overflowed with steaming water, the sound of it splashing against the sink filling all the space not occupied by her voice, “I’m with you, and there’s a whole bunch of people out there who we both just had a nice dinner with, and you were born in a big clan and I was born all alone,”

 

“That changes nothing, you can’t escape your fate,” He said, turning the tap off and beginning to scrub the pot. Naru sighed, and slid off the counter. She pushed him away from the sink and smirked up at him. 

 

“Go check that Sasuke hasn’t killed your team, will you?” She said, scrubbing the pot in his place. He said nothing, he just turned around and left. 

 

He didn’t come back. She hadn’t really expected him to. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Extraordinary Machine, Fiona Apple
> 
> Sasuke: Shut Up, Blink 182
> 
> Rock Lee: Work Song, Hozier
> 
> Tenten: crushcrushcrush, Paramore
> 
> Neji: Dilaudid, The Mountain Goats (you just can't do, things your body wasn't meant to) (and the freakin violin... i mean, come on...)


	24. Sakura, and the ability to lie by omission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakura Knows Things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really actually don't know how i'm going to have this play out. it has a lot of possibilities.

Sakura looked up from the book on curses she had been reading and straight at the plate of rice and stew that Naru was holding out to her, grinning. She smiled as she took it and the fork she was offered, closing her book with her other hand and pushing her notes away. Naru sat down, cross legged, in front of her. Sakura pushed the food around her plate a little, then looked around for Sasuke. He was standing, arms crossed, by the door, staring out the window, looking pensive. She could just see what she now knew was a curse mark on his neck. 

 

She wasn’t sure if she should tell her teammates what it meant. The truth was heavy on her tongue, down her throat. She felt suffocated by it. She watched Naru laughing, pretended to listen as she talked animatedly about something, miming kunai being thrown and swinging something. She smiled and nodded and chewed. Every few seconds, looking over at Sasuke, whose sharp features were set into relief by a sun that was drawing low into the horizon. There were days left before they’d see Kakashi again, and she was convinced he’d be the only way this would get fixed. From what she read it wasn’t removable, just containable. But it could be contained. She was sure.  _ It had to be. _

 

Sasuke’s eyes met hers, and for the first time in a long time, held them. He was looking for something, she knew the expression. It was the same way Ino used to look at her, the same way Naru looked at her. It was the look of a person who wanted to find something that wasn’t there. 

 

Answers. They wanted answers. And more than once, Sakura had had them.

 

More than once, Sakura hadn’t shared them.

 

Sakura had the truth in her throat, and knew she’d say nothing. Just like she always did.

 

She was the one who turned away from him this time. She looked back at Naru, and laughed at what she was saying. She smiled, and touched Naru’s arm, and joked about her hair. She could feel those sharp eyes poking holes in her facade. She knew he saw through her. She did it anyway, hoping she could fool Naru, at least, and wishing she could fool herself.

 

The other Sakura stirred, but was quiet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sakura: Slow and Steady, of Monsters And Men


	25. Naru, the inability to tell if a person is your friend or not

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poor naru has an obsession with people who don’t like her or care about her

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this one was hard cause I wasn’t sure if these experiences were common or not but it’s realistic to me so :|

The next morning, Naru got up, ate a pepper, scrambled an egg, and started some strength training. She began by scooting under her bed and using her legs to lift it off the ground, keeping it steady with her arms. She did fifty reps of the bed. Then she went to her training room and, using kunai she had stabbed into the doorframe, she did forty pull ups.

 

After that she did a hundred squats holding a table, and she did lunges up the entire length of the spiral. She did a hundred pushups, she did tricep dips until failure, and bicycle kicks until failure.

 

After which, she took a shower.

 

She was in the kitchen, scrambling more eggs, when Shikamaru came into the mess hall. He walked into the kitchen and groaned when he saw her there. She grinned up at him.

 

“Hey Grumpy!”

 

“Ugh, of course you’re here,” he groaned, pouring himself a bowl of cereal. She didn’t reply, she just doled out her eggs onto a plate and smothered them in ketchup, leaning against the counter and shovelling them into her mouth.

 

“Do you mind moving? You’re blocking the silverware drawer,” He snapped, standing in front of her, arms crossed. She stood up, and stepped toward him, reaching behind her and extracting a spoon. She handed it to him, smiling around her mouthful of egg. He took it, rolling his eyes, and moved to walk away. Naru stuck out her leg.

 

He spun, twisting to avoid her foot, and walking backward, pointing his spoon at her.

 

“If you’d made me spill my cereal, I swear-”

 

“Shikamaru-chan you wouldn’t have done anything,” Naru laughed, “I’ve been trying to get you to fight me for years and you always spout the same old-“

 

“Oh that’s what you’ve been doing?” He asked, stirring his cereal. She lowered her plate, staring at him.

 

“Duh,” She said, wiping her mouth on her arm, “what did you think I was doing?”

 

Shikamaru shrugged, spooning a mouthful of cereal into his mouth and chewing it loudly. “Thought you just liked disturbing the peace,”

 

“Well, I do, but I don’t just do it for fun,” She laughed, leaning against the counter again. Shikamaru shook his head.

 

“Women,” He muttered, turning to leave. Naru narrowed her eyes.

 

“Not women! Just me! Hey!” She barked, throwing her fork at him. It bounced off his shoulder and he turned, one foot in the doorway and his mouth full of cereal, to look at her again.

 

“Wha?” He struggled around his food. Naru set her plate down.

 

“Fight me,” She said, walking a little forward and staring up at him. He swallowed, before his face split into a reluctant smile.

 

“No,” he laughed, “Never, you loser,” He reached out and flicked her temple. She practically screamed in frustration as he walked out of the kitchen, and away, out of the mess hall, with his bowl.

 

She was fuming the whole time she ate her eggs, and was trying to come up with a prank that would get him mad enough to fight her when the door of the mess hall opened again, and Ino came in with Sakura, who had obviously just had her hair fixed. Ino was eyeing it critically in a way that told Naru who, exactly, had touched it up.

 

She froze, sliding her plate into the sink. Ino was busy looking at Sakura’s hair, and Sakura had her eyes screwed shut in frustration over something she was telling Ino. Naru ducked down instinctively and tried to think of a way out. She heard the girls stop in the middle of the hall.

 

“I don’t know, I just can’t stop thinking about killing that guy,” Sakura said. Naru bit back a panicked squeak. If she kept hiding, it’d be worse. The longer she hid, the worse it’d be if they found out she was there, but if she could sneak away...

 

“We’re gonna have to kill a lot more people Sakura, you know that. We’re Ninja, we signed up for this,”

 

“Yeah but… I don’t know, it’s weird. It’s almost like… like I enjoyed it?” Naru froze. She liked it?

 

Ino laughed, “Well that’s good, you’re gonna do a lot of it after all,”

 

Naru could hear the smile in Sakura’s voice as she replied. “Yeah, I guess I am,”

 

Naru exhaled a shaky breath and stood.

 

“Hey!” she grinned, waving at the two girls, pretending not to notice their shocked and angry faces.

 

“Naru, you knucklehead! Were you here eavesdropping?”

 

“What? No! I dropped all my kunai on the ground and was picking them up!” She quickly drew a handful of knives out and waved them above her head. Ino narrowed her eyes.

 

“You’re such a weirdo, Naru,” She snapped, putting one hand on her hip and tilting her head. That’s her bullying stance.

 

“Guess so, Anyway,” She pushed her Kunai back into her pouch and made to leave, but Ino called her back.

 

“Why did you stop wearing a jacket? And you pushed your hair back,”

 

No wonder Shikamaru doesn’t like women, I wouldn’t either if this chick was on my team.

 

“I was running late and it just happened. Now it’s a habit I guess,” Naru shrugged, and shot a look at Sakura. Sakura wasn’t doing anything. She was giving no indication of wanting to stop what was about to happen. Naru’s stomach sank.

 

“Huh, well, that’s interesting, well, it’s brave of you.” She smirked, “to show your face, I mean. If I were you I’d grow my hair out over my face for sure. Or wear a paper bag. I mean, you look like a boy, your face is as wide as a building,” Ino laughed, holding her hands out at the sides of her face and puffing her cheeks out.

 

Naru just looked at Sakura, feeling all the progress they’d made slip through her fingers. In the end Sakura would always choose Ino. Ino was her rival. It was as easy a choice for her as if Naru had had to choose between siding with Choji or Sasuke.

 

She was kidding herself. It wasn’t even a choice at all.

 

They weren’t friends. Sakura wasn’t ever going to think of her as her friend. The realisation hurt more than Ino’s lame insults ever could. Naru shook her head and grinned.

 

“Well I guess it’s a good thing that I’m the one with my face, and you have yours Ino. I mean, I’d never be able to cope with your confidence issues or being unable to use any Jutsu besides a possession that was damn near useless besides for data collection or hostage negotiations. And you can’t imagine being ugly, so let’s just be glad I’m the one who’s ugly and you’re the one who’s completely fucking useless,” She forced herself to laugh. Both Ino and Sakura glared at her, but Naru just kept grinning as she walked out of the kitchen, past the girls, and toward the door.

 

A chair hit her in the back, shattering against her, and she paused for a moment, considering a fight. The urge passed, however, and she didn’t even look behind her as she walked out of the room and up the hallway.

 

She was proud of herself, really, deep down, that she made it to her training room before she slid down the wall and cried. Not from pain from the chair, or humiliation from Ino’s insults. No. She cried because she knew she’d been an idiot, and she’d actually tricked herself into thinking Sakura was more than just an assigned teammate. That she’d made progress. That she’d finally made a friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Fri-end, Kate Nash
> 
> Shikamaru: The Rock Show, Blink 182
> 
> Ino: Doo-Wah-Doo, Kate Nash (also just the script from mean girls)
> 
> Sakura: I Hate Seagulls, Kate Nash (also the mean girls script)
> 
> (this is just a kate nash chapter)


	26. Sakura, and the makeover

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i missed this one

Sakura hadn’t been able to sit with Ino for long. She never talked about anything but Sasuke. It used to make her jealous, but now she just felt bad for her. Sasuke wasn’t interested. The only thing he cared about was getting stronger and competing with Naru. She’d walked away after a little while, excusing herself and thanking Ino for the haircut. Other Sakura started shouting the second they left the room.

 

**_You’re so weak just letting Ino push a teammate around like that. I’m taking the body!_ **

 

_ No, you aren’t. It’s my body.  _

 

**_Come on, you were just talking about how you liked it when I was in charge. I’m so much stronger than you._ **

 

_ No, you aren’t. If you were, you’d be the main personality. Instead you’re just the passenger. I’m not letting you out again. _

 

Sakura passed by her bedroom, but just kept walking. She didn’t want to sit there and read. She couldn’t even begin to focus when Other Sakura got like this.

 

**_I’ll get out again and you know it_ ** . 

 

Sakura did know it, but she didn’t tell the other Sakura that. she had a feeling that now she’d let her out, the other Sakura would definitely not be going away. 

 

Sakura climbed the incline of the tower for so long that she realised she must have been near the top, and was about to turn around when she heard a grunt that definitely belonged to Naru. She turned and stared at the door, and then when she heard her grunt again, she swung it open. There she was, Her blonde teammate, alone in a room with holes in its walls, furniture and a table kicked over on its side, doing push-ups. She was sweating, it made the light slide across her strangely, brightness collecting on her tensed muscles, shadows pooling behind them. The sweat was dripping from the tip of her nose, onto the floor, and she moved like every twitch was painful. Sakura put her hand against the doorway and watched as Naru pushed upward, gasping as she did so, and grunting as she slowly lowered herself again.

 

“Naru-chan…” Sakura said, softly, as though a word might make her teammate topple to the ground. Naru glanced up at her, but said nothing. she just inches away at another push-up. Sakura exhaled shakily, watching as sweat ran down Naru’s partially exposed back, hitting the edge of her tank top and disappearing. 

 

“I’m sorry about that… What Ino said,”

 

Naru didn’t even look at her, but her next push-up came faster, and she barely breathed before lowering herself down again. 

 

“You didn’t mean what you said, right?”

 

No reply. Only another push-up.

 

“Naru-chan, you’re not ugly,” Sakura said, her voice tender, her hand tightening against the doorframe. 

 

Naru shot up, standing quickly, and stepping toward Sakura, her face a perfect imitation of Sasuke’s deadpan. Sakura shifted, as though unsure if she wanted to step back or not.

 

“Sakura-chan, you  _ know _ I’m ugly. I know I’m ugly. It’s okay for you and Ino, you don’t have to worry about it, it’s easy for you, but it doesn’t matter. Looks are the last thing on my list,” Naru spread her arms, as though to show Sakura the room around them, smiling bitterly, “I’m  _ glad _ I’m not pretty, it means I don’t have to worry about it, I don’t have to diet, I don’t have to be dainty and cute and unintimidating. Everyone treats me like I’m a boy, and that's great! Because if I was pretty they’d treat me like they treat you and Ino, and…” 

 

Naru stopped, looking up at Sakura. Sakura stepped forward, crossing her arms. 

 

“No Naru-chan, finish what you were saying,” She snapped, staring down at the shorter girl. Naru wiped the sweat out of her eyes, and looked back up at Sakura.

 

“If I weren’t ugly, people would treat me like I was weak, and I’d rather be hideous than be weak,” She whispered, her voice harsh, like the words scratched her throat on the way out. She swallowed afterward too, as though trying to pull them back out of the air. Sakura turned away from her, running her hands through her hair and letting out a little growl in frustration. She whipped back around, glaring down at Naru, whose face was getting stony, setting with the intention of deflecting whatever Sakura was about to throw at her. 

 

“You’re not ugly, you idiot! You’re just stupid,” Sakura shouted, “You’re so dumb! People don’t treat you like Ino and I because you’re a Jinchuriki! Not because you’re ugly! I swear you have cement for a skull, you’re impossible. Hell, look at that Kankuro kid! He wouldn’t have picked on you like that if you were ugly! Boys do that because it makes girls uncomfortable, but he wasn’t doing it to me,”

 

“His behaviour is NOT a compliment and we both know it’s not because he likes me,” Naru snapped, pointing at the door. Sakura screamed, stamping her foot.

 

“You really are dumb! It’s not a compliment, but look at how other boys act around you!”

 

“Most boys treat me like I’m a boy!” Naru barked.

 

“No! They don’t! Agh!” Sakura slapped her hands over her face, “That’s why Ino-san is like that to you! She’s jealous boys like you and get along with you! Especially Sasuke-kun!”

 

“Sasuke-Kun and I are rivals! It’s not like that!”

 

“Yeah, but Ino doesn’t understand that! Ino thinks any time a boy talks to you when he isn’t being  _ forced _ to, they’re flirting,” Sakura paused, “That’s probably because for her, it is, because no boy talks to her trying to be her friend,”

 

“No boy talks to you trying to be your friend either, Sakura-Chan,” Naru pointed out, “They all want to date you. And boys don’t want to date me, they just wanted me on their team for dodgeball cause I could whip the ball harder than most of them,”

 

“And because they could jump in front of the ball and ‘save’ you,”

 

“One, they did that because I’m a valuable player, two, usually it was irrelevant anyway because I could dodge by myself,”

 

Sakura really did scream this time, balling her hands up in her hair and jumping up and down, probably looking absolutely deranged.

 

“You’re so damn stupid Naru-chan!” She grabbed Naru’s arm and yanked her out of the room. Naru yelped, her muscles were likely still sore, but Sakura didn’t care. They all heard it, the crash of a door as another team entered the Tower.

 

_ Perfect.  _

 

Sakura dragged Naru the whole way down the spiral, Naru complaining the whole time, and ran straight into Kiba, Shino and Hinata, who had just come in.

 

“Hinata-san!” Sakura shouted, startling all three genin into defensive poses. Hinata looked so surprised Sakura was surprised that she hadn’t yelped.

 

“Oh! Sakura-san, Naru-chan… You cut your hair,” she mumbled, relaxing. The two boys relaxed too, Kiba moving to pet Akamaru, tucked in his hoodie. 

 

“Hinata-san, I need you for something, Boys, sorry, I’m stealing her, I promise to bring her back,” Sakura said, grabbing Hinata and pulling her with. Kiba waved, and Shino stared.

 

“Bye guys,” Naru grumbled, being yanked along with Hinata behind Sakura.

 

“Bye, Naru-chan, I guess,” Kiba said, looking at Shino questioningly. Shino just shrugged.

 

Sakura explained nothing as she yanked the two girls back up to her room and slammed the door behind her. She sat Naru down on the bed and turned to Hinata.

 

“Naru-chan thinks she’s ugly,” She explained. Hinata’s eyes widened, staring between Sakura and Naru, who had groaned and put her head in her hands.

 

“No!” Hinata gasped, shifting awkwardly, “Naru-chan! You’re not ugly! You’re really cute!”

 

“Yeah, I know right? So we gotta do something!”

 

“Wait, What?” Naru snapped, glaring up at Sakura, “do what?”

 

“Hinata-chan, I know this is probably not your thing, but I can’t do this alone, are you in?”

 

Hinata looked up at Sakura, then at Naru, and  nodded bravely. Sakura grinned.

 

“Do what?!” Naru yelped as Sakura grabbed her bag and dragged it forward. 

 

“We’re gonna show you how to put on war paint,” Sakura said, pulling out some eyeliner and a hairbrush. Naru yelped, and moved to scramble away across the bed, but Hinata quickly sat down next to her and put her arm around her shoulders, a small smile on her face.

 

“Don’t worry Naru-chan,” She said sweetly, tucking her hair behind her ear, “If you don’t like it you can just wash it off,”

 

“Well, not the clothes,” Sakura said, passing Hinata the hairbrush. Naru made to leap up, but both the other girls held her down. 

 

“Clothes?” She gulped, staring at the pair of them. Sakura laughed, an evil glint in her eyes as she sharpened the eyeliner.

 

“Ooh yes,” she said, leaning forward, “This is gonna be good. 

 

God, she loved makeovers.


	27. Naru, and the worst thing about having a physical form is that people can see you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakura is feeling guilty and decides to help Naru, but chronically misreads a situation and makes Naru feel worse in the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> source: this actually happened to me in highschool. (not the ninja part but the friend giving me a makeover and people reacting to it badly.)
> 
> Also: Sorry this one is so long, i kinda had an idea of where it was going to end and then it just... didn't...

It wasn’t that bad, really. Well, the eyebrows had been, but Hinata had said that she had naturally nice brows, and that she only needed to shape them from the bottom. Sakura had struggled with her hair for a good ten minutes before deciding that it looked good spiked, but she re-tied Naru’s headband so that it held her hair a little differently, with a weird pouf in the front that Naru didn’t  _ hate.  _ Her eyes looked kinda good with eyeliner, even she had to admit she liked it. The change she liked the most, however, were the earrings Hinata had put in. 

 

“They make you look tough,” She had said, smiling as she fixed four along her right ear. 

 

She didn’t, however, like the black capris they had put her in, or the spiked bracelet they’d strapped around her left wrist. The black nail polish had chipped almost immediately, and she suspected it wouldn’t last a whole day. Hinata and Sakura had stood back after they finished and grinned.

 

“You look pretty!” Hinata exclaimed, clapping her hands together. Naru, as usual, had the urge to pick her up. Sakura had smirked.

 

“You look tough,” She had said, holding up a mirror for Naru to see her face in. Largely, she did look the same. She doubted most people would even notice.  _ Beyond the absence of neon orange, that is.  _

 

“So, what do you think? Painless?” Sakura asked, 

 

“I don’t know about painless but, I’m alive. And this is… I’m in all black,” 

 

“You look good in all black,” Sakura said, brushing her hair back. She obviously still wasn’t used to it being so short.

 

“You really do,” Hinata said, blushing a little.

 

“Thanks guys, but I don’t know,”

 

“Well, let’s go eat and then we’ll see you you feel. You can always change back, we didn’t tattoo you,”

 

“Yeah,” Naru laughed, looking at the ground. Sakura hauled her to her feet and they all walked back down to the mess hall, quizzing Hinata on how her team had gotten to the tower. She refused to talk much about it, only describing how they got their scroll and admitting that they’d gotten a little turned around on the way to the tower. Naru guessed it was for the same reasons Sasuke had kicked her last night. Speaking of Sasuke…

 

“Hey Sakura-chan have you seen Teme at all today?” Naru asked, leaning forward to look Sakura in the face.

 

“No, Sasuke-kun hasn’t been around at all this morning,” Sakura said, shaking her head, “I thought he was training with you again, but obviously he wasn’t,”

 

“Huh,” Naru said, straightening up, looking at the ceiling, “Wonder where he is,”

 

When they reached the mess hall, they pushed the doors open, and Sasuke was there, eating and talking seriously with Shino and Kiba, the latter of whom glanced up at the door and grinned at the sight of the three girls. Naru grinned back and tangled her fingers in her hair. Shino glanced up, and beckoned to Hinata, who strode over and sat next to him. Sasuke looked up at that point, taking a swig of his water glass in front of him as he turned.

 

When he saw Naru, he spat it out, spluttering and slamming the glass down. Naru doubled over laughing, as he shook the water droplets off his hands and glared at her, face red.

 

“What the hell happened to you?” Kiba laughed, standing up and indicating the seat next to him. Naru walked over and sat down, leaving Sakura to wipe off the chair next to Sasuke and sit there.

 

“Sakura-chan attacked me. It was weird, but look!” She pointed at her ear, the row of stainless steel hoops shining in the light. Kiba grinned his fanged grin and punched her in the arm.

 

“Looks hardcore,” He laughed, “Who did those?”

 

“Hinata-chan!” She said, grinning. Kiba turned to Hinata with a look of surprise.

 

“Since when can you do stuff like that?” He asked, leaning forward. Hinata was a brilliant shade of red.

 

“I’ve wanted earrings for a long time, but I don’t think my father would approve, so I’ve just been carrying them around trying to work up the nerve… I think they look good on Naru,”

 

“No,” Kiba laughed, “He probably wouldn’t approve.You should do it anyway though Hinata,” he turned back to Naru and looked at her with a grin. “Dang, Sakura-chan should attack you more often, it suits you,”

 

“You look weird, where’s your orange pants? Those ones don’t fit you, they’re too tight,” Sasuke snapped, finally drying his face off. Naru couldn’t help but feel a little put out about his reaction. She did miss her orange jumpsuit, but her jacket wasn’t in the tower and Sakura had begged her to put these weird legging-things on. Sakura turned and glared at Sasuke.

 

“They fit her perfectly, you’re joking, right? She looks amazing!” Sakura grinned at Naru, who grinned back.

 

“I mean it’s nice that they don’t bunch up around my holster,” Naru admitted, sticking her leg out and showing them all, “and they are comfortable. I’m just not used to how… tight they are,”

 

“Well, don’t get used to them. Put your sweatpants back on,” Sasuke snapped. Naru put her leg down and scowled at him, getting ready to snap back, but Kiba was faster.

 

“What? You can’t handle other people changing clothes cause you’ve been wearing the same shirt for four years?” Kiba snapped, Akamaru poking his head out of his hoodie and snarling at Sasuke. Sasuke folded his hands in front of his mouth and glared at Kiba.

 

“Mind your own business, dog boy,” he said, his voice low and threatening. Kiba sneered, his fangs showing as he did so. Naru cleared her throat.

 

“It is my business if you’re ragging on the girl right in front of me,” he spat. Naru choked on her own spit and started coughing violently, spinning sideways in her chair to face away from the rest of them. Both boys ignored her, but Sakura was just smirking, sat back, her arms folded. Naru wanted to yell at her, but couldn’t think of a way to do it without embarrassing herself. Finally, when she could breathe again, she turned back to the five of them and cleared her throat again.

 

“I like these trousers and these trousers are also none of anyone’s concern, thanks,” She said, her hand on her chest as she struggled for air. Sasuke glared at her and sat back, his arms crossed. Kiba glanced at her then sat back too, but he didn’t cross his arms. He propped one elbow up on the back of Shino’s chair, and the other on the back of Naru’s. Sasuke glared at him, and he glared back.

 

“Okay! Naru! Lets go make some food!” Sakura said, clapping her hands together and standing up. Naru got up so quickly the chair threatened to fall over, until Kiba caught it, still glaring at Sasuke.

 

Naru tried her best not to sprint to the Kitchen, but wasn’t sure she managed to make her walk look natural. Once they were in the kitchen, Sakura pulled the divider down, blocking the other’s view. She grinned down at Naru.

 

“Whoa, I didn’t know Kiba liked you!” She laughed. Naru shook her head.

 

“Kiba doesn’t like me. What the hell was that!” She said, as quiet as she could manage. Sakura just grinned and shook her head.

 

“That,” Sakura hissed, pulling out some Tofu and pressing it, “Was the way boys act when they’re jealous over a girl,” She bit her lips together. Naru blinked.

 

“Neither Sasuke or Kiba like me like that,” she asserted, pouring herself a glass of water and then filling up a soup pot, at Sakura’s indication. 

 

“Uh,” Sakura said, stirring in a large spoonful of Miso paste as the tofu sat, “yeah, or at least, Kiba does. As far as Sasuke goes none of us have any hope of understanding the inner workings of his brain, he might just be mad you look like a real ninja now,”

 

Naru glared at her, “I always looked like a real ninja!” she said, holding her arms out, “All we did is change my trousers!”

 

“Yeah, from neon sweatpants, which, despite your fondness for them… well, all I’ll say is, you’ll be better at stealth missions now,”

 

Naru crossed her arms and leant hard against the counter. “I’m still not sure I’m gonna keep these,”

 

“Naru, if you go back to wearing those damn sweats I’ll start pantsing you in public,”

 

“I wear boxers longer than your shorts, pants me all you want,” Naru laughed. She felt a strange mix of emotions in her chest. They were overwhelming. She wasn’t sure if it was just her or if Sakura was actually trying to make up for Ino, if Kiba was just being nice or if Sakura was right, why Sasuke was being so rude.

 

None of it made sense. And the fact that it all had been triggered by her putting on a different pair of trousers made her want to scream. People were confusing, and why on earth they’d all decided at once to interact with her, she couldn’t begin to fathom.

 

She watched Sakura make soup, and helped her carry it out to everyone. Kiba and Sasuke seemed to have locked themselves into a staring contest, and Naru felt a twang of jealousy.  _ She  _ was Sasuke’s rival.  _ She _ was the one who glared at him.  _ She _ kicked his ass and  _ she _ threatened him.  _ She _ told him when he was being too pushy with Sakura and when he was being cocky. She almost felt annoyed at Kiba now, as she sat next to him, passing him a bowl and grinning up at his face. He grinned back. 

 

“Thanks Sakura-chan, Naru-chan,” He said, pulling the bowl toward himself and starting to eat. Naru nodded and started eating too. She looked down the table at Hinata and Shino, who seemed to have been talking until they were given food. Hinata ate quickly, as though she wanted to avoid anyone seeing her do it, but Shino was who Naru really wanted to see. His face was covered so much of the time by his jacket she was hoping for a glimpse of his mouth. He however, must have seen her looking from behind those glasses of his, and turned away, toward Hinata, before unzipping his jacket slightly and starting to eat. Sasuke just stirred his soup and watched Naru twisting around in her chair, trying to catch a glimpse of Shino’s face.

 

Kiba nudged her knee with his own, catching her attention. She looked up at him, and he shook his head. She settled wordlessly back into her chair. He turned to Sakura again, hiking a smile up onto his face.

 

“So Sakura-chan, what's with the hair?”

 

She leaned her chin in her hand and stirred her soup. “Well it was pretty inconvenient out in the woods, too much to handle. I cut it off out there, and Ino fixed it up when I got here,”

 

“Huh. You girls are switching it up too much for me, I’ll start mixing names up. At least Hinata-chan always stays the same,” he turned and grinned at her, “Right Hinata-chan?”

 

When Hinata looked up and saw everyone looking at her, she turned red. “W-what?”

 

“Nah,” Naru laughed, putting her spoon down, “Hinata-chan likes to fly under the radar but, I can tell she’s gonna do something pretty crazy soon, right Hinata-chan?”

 

“I’ll never do anything ‘crazy’,” She mumbled, stirring her soup and bringing a spoonful to her mouth, “but sometimes I do want to do something… different,”

 

“Always go with your gut!” Naru said, putting her elbow next to her bowl on the table and her other hand on her knee, leaning across Kiba to stare at her, “if you wanna do something then do it! Make a change, cause the world isn’t just gonna change for you!”

 

Kiba leaned back, away from where Naru had invaded his personal space, and smiled again. “Hinata-chan whatever you do, don’t change your pants, Sasuke might have an aneurysm,”

 

Everyone besides Shino and Sasuke burst out laughing, Naru even smacked her hand down on the table, rattling all their bowls. Sasuke scowled at her. Kiba was beaming. 

 

“Oh my god,” She laughed, wiping a tear out of her eye and punching Kiba’s shoulder. Kiba pulled Akamaru out of his hoodie and set him on the ground, then, after he emptied his bowl of soup, he filled it with some kibble from his bag and set it down for the puppy. Naru got up.

 

“Okay guys, this has been cool, but I’m gonna go train a little more, I was in the middle of a set when Sakura-chan kidnapped me,” She stretched her arms and then waved to Hinata and Sakura, who both looked a little disappointed, but neither of them made a move to leave the table. Sasuke sprung up, however, and kept on her heels as she walked up the spiral back to her training room.

 

“Will you stop breathing down my neck, Teme?” She snapped. She spun around, walking backward so she could face him. He looked furious. 

 

“What’s with you? You were clambering all over Kiba,”

 

“I was not! Anyway, who cares? Kiba is my friend!”

 

“You don’t have friends, you idiot!” He snapped. She glared at him, half expecting him to attack her again, but he didn’t. They just kept moving up the spiral, staring daggers at each other.

 

“You don’t know shit about me, Teme,” She growled, turning back around and picking up her pace. He picked up his stride too.

 

“I know you better than you know yourself,” He snapped. She felt his arm twitch, as if to grab her shoulder, and sidestepped him. They were on a level now, half running along the never-ending hallway, glaring at each other.

 

“You’re the stupid one here! You can’t keep control of your emotions. It’s like you can’t tell them apart so you lash out whenever you feel anything at all!”

 

“What exactly was I supposed to feel when you came into the hall dressed in  _ someone else’s _ clothes? And then Kiba-”

 

“Whose clothes do you want me to wear?”

 

“Your own! There wasn’t anything wrong with that stupid neon jumpsuit!”

 

“You literally just called it stupid!”

 

They burst into the training room, and Naru immediately dropped and started doing push-ups. Sasuke mirrored her, maintaining their furious eye contact. 

 

“You look stupid in everything because you  _ are _ stupid,”  he snapped. She scowled at him. 

 

“Do I really have to reiterate my feelings on your outfit?” She growled, pumping her arms, grunting with pain as she felt her muscles shred. Sasuke matched her.

 

“Go ahead if you think it’ll make you feel better,”

 

“Your arm-guards look like sleeves you put on cause you couldn’t find a clean undershirt,” she snapped, “Your high collar makes you look like a lame turtle and your family crest looks like a badly drawn ice cream cone,”

 

“It’s a fan,” He snarled. She looked at her hands and spread them further apart, putting more weight on her shoulders.

 

“I know, you’ve told me. More than once,” she snarled. Sweat was starting to bead on her forehead. She could see it on Sasuke’s too. 

 

“Oh? Well then why’d you say it was an ice cream cone,” he spat through gritted teeth.

 

“I said it looked like one, you idiot, not that I thought it was one,” she felt her limbs start to shake. She was still exhausted from earlier.

 

He just grunted in response, spreading his hands apart to match her stance. His eyes widened slightly, and she sneered.

 

“Too tough for you?” she laughed breathlessly. He smirked back at her.

 

“Nah, I was just surprised you could even do push-ups like this, loser,” He snapped. She just laughed again. He was bluffing, she just knew it. 

 

They kept going, Naru had told herself to keep going until failure, but with Sasuke across from her she couldn’t let herself give out. Every time her arms started to shake, she looked over at him, shaking just as much, and thought…  _ I only have to keep going until he stops.  _

 

But he didn’t stop, and she was torn up from that morning, and the bones in her arms felt like they were just controlled by string. Like a bad puppet, her joints clicked and for a moment, she shook, her whole body teetering, She stared at the ground for a split second, and then her arms gave out. she hit the ground with a thud, and seconds later Sasuke sat back on his haunches, wrapping his shaking arms around his knees and looking so smug that if she could have, she would have slapped him. But she couldn’t. Her arms were cooked noodles and she had no control over them. 

 

Sasuke said nothing, he just stood and walked out of the room. Naru rolled over, staring at the holes she’d put in the ceiling and frowning. The shadows on the walls grew, and eventually she got up, and started doing jump squats, her aching arms behind her head. She did two hundred, then slowly walked back down to the kitchen. It was empty, and she drank three glasses of water and ate a block of the firmest tofu in the fridge. She ate an apple to wash down the taste, then turned to the sink to wash her glass. There was a weird… magnet-click in the back of her head as she put the clean glass away and turned around.

 

She held back a yelp. She wasn’t used to anyone being able to sneak up on her, but there he was…

 

Gaara.

 

He was standing in the doorway, glaring at her, pure, unadulterated hatred written across his face. He walked, stiffly, past her, and opened the fridge. She watched him, her heart threatening to crack her ribs. He just grabbed an apple and bit into it, slamming the fridge, glaring at her again, and leaving.

 

She leaned against the counter, her arm trembling from more than overexertion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sakura: Down, Marian Hill
> 
> Naru: Skin, BOY
> 
> Hinata: Waitress, BOY
> 
> Sasuke: Just say "What the fuck is happening" out loud to yourself
> 
> Kiba: Satan Is My Motor, Cake
> 
> Shino: scream "I am surrounded by idiots" in a public place
> 
> Gaara: Breezeblocks, Alt-J  
> (hold her down with soggy clothes and breezeblocks)


	28. Gaara, Without The Knowledge Given To Most

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaara has what we like to call "emotional problems"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I Love My Raccoon Son

He needed to kill her. 

 

He needed it like air. When they had been alone… in that kitchen. The surprise in her eyes, so close to fear he mistook it at first. But it wasn’t. It faded too quickly to be fear. He needed her terror. He wanted her to scream and die.

 

She was occupying too many of his thoughts. Her face kept popping into his head at odd moments, like when he’d crushed those men in the forest. He hadn’t even been able to focus on the blood. It had been wasted. And he couldn’t even get more. And it was her fault.

 

And still, he couldn’t help thinking about those lines across her face. How he’d seen them shift when she’d smiled at her friends. 

 

_ Friends. _ He struck out at his wall with his sand, cracking it floor to ceiling.

 

A weakness. He wondered how she’d react if he killed her friends before her. If he kept her alive for a little and murdered everyone around her first.

 

_ Yes… _ He thought,  _ I’ll show her her weaknesses before she dies. _

 

And the Uchiha. He’d die first. It was perfect.

 

And in the moonlight, in the same building as her, he started to plan the death of the blonde girl.  _ Naru _ .

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gaara: Fight Music, D12


	29. Naru, The Problem With A Team Of Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru realises something she hadn't before and actually forms a strategy for once

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Sauce is a showoff
> 
> Shikamaru Literally Can't Even With This Bitch
> 
> Choji thinks this is hilarious
> 
> Sakura can't even, like, believe her luck
> 
> Naru is sick of this place
> 
> Gaara still has emotional issues

Naru woke up with the sun. It was the last day in the tower, which she was glad of. Too much had happened, and she’d never had to live with people in a building before. Sure, she’d stayed in hotels, and in the woods with squad seven, but it was different to live in a compound with the other rookies and those weird sound villagers and the creepy sand people? She was really glad it’d be over by the next day.

 

She’d be glad of distance between her and Sasuke. He was different now, with that dot on his neck. Angrier. He’d already had issues, but now…

 

She walked to the shower in her boxers and tank, towel slung over her shoulders. She frowned at her reflection, and took off her bandages, not being careful. Sakura had done a great job, and had been really exact with remembering where her wounds had been. She’d, of course, healed days ago. if she squinted she could make out scars, but she’d have to put her jacket back on so avoid suspicion once she got out of the tower. It was kinda sad, she liked the tank top thing.

 

She stripped off, turned on the shower as hot as it would go, and sang under her breath to herself as she scrubbed her skin raw. She smiled as the hot water turned her red, as the steam made it hard to breathe. She washed her hair roughly, tilting her head into the water and sighing as the scentless generic shampoo rinsed away, circling the drain. Hot water felt good on her sore muscles. She thought about what she’d do today. She’d promised Sakura she’d teach her a few shuriken tricks and was trying to formulate her next plot to get Shikamaru to fight her. She hoped no one else made it to the tower, but it was a whole day.

 

Someone would.

 

She turned the shower head off and got dressed, tying her headband around her neck and towelling off her hair as she walked to Sakura’s room. Sakura was awake, reading by her window in her nightdress. She looked surprised to see Naru, but not unhappy. At least, until she saw Naru had put her sweatpants back on.

 

“All that trouble!” She sighed, snapping her book shut. Naru grinned.

 

“Sorry Sakura-chan!” She laughed, “but they’re just comfortable. I think I’ll save those tight ones for missions or something,”

 

“Well that’s fine…” Sakura said, shrugging, “if you wanna make Sasuke-kun happy,”

 

“What?” Naru said stilling. Sakura smiled up at her.

 

“Well, he’ll be glad that you’re… _Doing what he told you to._ I mean, it’s like you’re _following his directions._ You know, kinda like…” Sakura stood, walking past her to her bag, pulling out her clothes, “He’s _team leader,_ or something,”

 

Naru turned on the spot, looking at her neon sweatpants in abstract horror. “On second thought, I think I’ll change. If you want to meet me up in the training room, you can,” She walked out and into the hall, back toward her room, “I’ll teach you that shuriken stuff you like!”

 

 _I can’t ever wear these again._ She whined internally. She _loved_ her orange jumpsuit, and Sasuke had ruined it with his dumb, stupid _opinions._

 

She yanked the tight black pants on and put her gear over them, scowling at the neutral, mature outfit. She _liked_ her old clothes. But no, Sasuke liked them too, so now she could never wear them again.

 

 _Kiba likes the black trousers. You might have to just cut your legs off._ She thought, jogging up the spiral. _But I like my legs. And Kiba is okay. I don’t mind him liking my trousers. He didn’t order me to keep them on either._

 

 _Why do I care what these idiots think of how I dress anyway? I like bright orange trousers. Maybe I should get a pair of tight orange trousers and piss both of them off. Yeah. That’s good._ She grinned. _When I get out of this tower I’ll buy a pair of tight orange trousers and everyone will be miserable about it except for me._

 

She reached the training room, and Sakura was there, warming up by throwing shuriken one at a time at a target she’d drawn on a section of scroll and stabbed to the wall. Her clustering was loose, but, she was clustering. Naru smiled.

 

“If you close one eye it’ll improve your aim. Here. hold your thumb out over the target,”

 

Sakura glanced at Naru and then did. Naru walked to stand next to her and did the same.

 

“Close your left eye first, but don’t move your thumb,”

 

Sakura did.

 

“Is it still over the bullseye?”

 

“Yeah…” Sakura said, confused.

 

“Okay, switch eyes,”

 

“Oh! What the…”

 

“I don’t know why, but if you close the eye that makes your thumb move, your aim is better,” Naru grinned, stepping back, “Iruka told me that,”

 

“That’s… actually really useful…” Sakura admitted, seemingly surprised. She closed her left eye and threw a shuriken. It hit pretty close to the center of the target. She shot a smile at Naru and Naru beamed back.

 

“Okay, now if you really wanna sink them, you should imagine you’re throwing through the target. Skulls are a lot thicker than drywall. If you wanna kill someone, and not just cause a migraine, you need to really whip those knives,” She said, demonstrating quickly. Sakura nodded, and sent a shuriken three quarters of the way through the wall. Naru grinned.

 

“Damn! Looks good! Okay, try it like this,” she showed her the way she held two shuriken at once, and whipped them forward. One landed in the center of the target, and the other landed about a foot above it. If the target was a person’s chest, the second star would be stuck between their eyes. Sakura tried, but her second hadn’t been thrown hard enough, and just barely stuck into the wall, an inch and a half out from where Naru’s had landed.

“Ugh! Can you show me again?” Sakura groaned. Naru nodded, and threw two more. They clustered so close you could barely thread a hair between them.

 

They kept going like that for a couple hours, until they heard a loud crash. Another team had made it.

 

“Who left it this late? Wanna go see who it is?” Naru asked. Sakura shook her head and threw another shuriken.

 

“Go ahead, I’ll stay here. You can tell me when you get back,”

 

“Oh, okay,” Naru said, turning and hovering by the door. She paused, “Try, uh, lifting your pinky finger a little on your follow through. It helps with the drag,”

 

“Oh, thanks Naru-chan, see you in a bit,”

Naru strode down the hall quickly, chewing the inside of her cheek. She was getting a weird feeling again, like something bad was about to happen. It’d be easy to overlook, but she was too anxious a person to ignore the roiling feeling in the pit of her stomach.

 

 _It’s where Kyuubi lives._ She thought, _He always knows what’s happening._

 

She passed the mess hall and went to the gates. There was that creepy Kabuto kid and his team, talking to…

 

“Sasuke!” Naru yelled, striding forward and clapping him on the back, grinning at the three strangers.

 

“Naruto, good to see you,” Kabuto drawled, adjusting his glasses, “I was surprised to see that you all got through the exam so quickly, Sasuke was just telling me about how you… were crucial to his finishing- your team’s finishing, so efficiently,”

 

Naru looked up at him, a horrible feeling brewing in her stomach. He was setting off the same kinds of signals that those men who hung outside of bars did when she was walking home after dark. When they’d lean toward each other and sneer at her.

 

_Threat. This guy is a big ass threat and I want nothing to do with him. I don’t want to be anywhere near him and I sure don’t want Sasuke near him either._

 

She smiled. “Yeah, but in the end so much of it is down to luck, there’s no telling how something small could have changed the whole… situation,” She grabbed the back of Sasuke’s collar and dragged him with her as she turned to leave.

 

“We have some private team stuff we gotta go do, by ourselves, alone, now… so see ya!” She shouted, pushing a protesting Sasuke up the spiral and away from the three older villagers.

 

“Naru! I was trying to get information!” Sasuke hissed. Naru leaned forward, shooting a glance behind her before hissing into his ear.

 

“That Kabuto guy is creepy,”

 

“You just don’t like him because he calls you Naruto,” Sasuke grumbled, yanking his shirt out of her grip and glaring at her. She snarled.

 

“It’s a habit, I hope, that you won’t pick up,”

 

“What? You don’t like being named after a fish cake?” Sasuke sneered, “I think I might start calling you Naruto, maybe it’ll catch on,” Naru leaned in, placing her hands on his shoulders and smiling.

 

“I will cut your tongue out and feed it to you, you porcupine headed monster,” she whispered, suddenly pulling at the side of his mouth. He bit her finger and pulled away. She didn’t flinch, she only wiped her hand off on his shirt and glared at him.

 

“Naruto,” He said, glaring right back, “Where are we going?”

 

“Sakura and I were training, I’m bringing you too because it’ll make her nervous and you _apparently_ need a babysitter,”

 

Sasuke rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. they were probably around half way up the tower when they passed by Gaara, who was just leaning against a wall, staring at them as they walked by. Naru stared back, feeling interest thrum through her veins. She knew she shouldn’t try to talk to him somehow, but she shot him a small smile. He didn’t smile back, he just narrowed his eyes slightly.

 

She kept glancing at him until they’d passed the line of sight, but after the encounter, neither She, not Sasuke seemed eager to talk. Naru couldn’t help thinking about how often he was… alone.

 

He reminded her of how she’d been before squad seven. It was like looking in a funhouse mirror. It was her, but it wasn’t. He stuck in her head.

 

“He looks at you,” Sasuke said, glancing over his shoulder at her, “His whole team likes to stare at you,”

 

“I’m a pretty easy person to stare at,” She laughed, “I stick out,”

 

“Yeah, isn’t there a saying about that? The nail that sticks up? that’s beside the point. I don’t like that they look at you,”

 

“Can’t control what other people do,” Naru said, shrugging, “All you can do is ignore it,”

 

“Keep away from them,”

 

“Oh look! We’re here! Sakura-chan!” they entered the room, and Sakura turned, saw Sasuke, and promptly dropped all the shuriken. Naru muffled her laughter, and Sasuke sighed.

 

“Oh- wow, I wasn’t expecting you,” she said, her face turning bright red.

 

“Yeah he was talking to that creepy bastard Kabuto and his team. So I brought him with. Doesn’t matter, show me what you got,”

 

Sakura nodded, glancing at Sasuke, who was sitting on a table and twirling a kunai around his finger, watching it turn disinterestedly. She took a deep breath and threw three shuriken at once. Stomach, chest, head. Naru grinned.

 

“Looks great! Try to put three in a line… here…” She took Sakura’s inkwell and drew three targets on a different wall, the middle six inches below the other two.

 

“How do I hit the middle one?”

 

“Twitch your hand downward as you release the second shuriken,” Naru said, coming to stand next to Sakura and pulling out some of her own stars. She sunk all of them in the center. Sasuke snorted. Naru glared over her shoulder at him.

 

“What now?” She snapped. Sakura looked at him too. He had his arms crossed and was smirking.

 

“I just think it’s funny you’re trying to teach someone else to throw knives when you were begging for my help two days ago,” he stood, and walked over. She wished she was taller, he had a good four inches on her. She scowled.

 

“One, I was SO not begging you, and two-“

 

“Quiet,” he snapped, “Sakura-san, you start fine, but you lose power on your downswing, look,” He threw three of his shuriken, and they sunk dead center, knocking one of Naru’s out of the wall.

 

“Showoff,” Naru snapped. She pulled out so kunai and lodged them deep into the door frame, and started doing pull ups. She could hear Sasuke giving Sakura tips, and the way she could just… _hear_ Sakura blushing was infuriating.

 

_Whatever, doesn’t matter to me, this lets me off the hook for coaching Sakura. Who cares? Not me. God damn that smug bastard. Why is everyone in my life so damn smug? Sasuke, Shikamaru, that Hyuuga, Neji. Even Sakura is smug half the damn time. What kinda word is smug anyway? Self satisfied bastards. I’ll be just as good as them, and then they’ll all be forced to admit they’re not so damn perfect. I’ll do it in bright orange trousers too, just because I like them._

 

She smiled to herself as she thought it, her muscles protesting further damage. She’d gone too hard yesterday, and even her body was having trouble catching up. She needed to eat something. She glanced over her shoulder at her teammates. Sakura was looking up at Sasuke like he was the coolest thing on two legs, and Sasuke was busy showing off.

 

_They won’t notice if I go eat something. They’re busy._

 

She dropped from the doorway and left, jogging down the hall lightly. Gaara was gone. She stared at the place he’d been, thinking about the hate that was always in his eyes. She knew what was behind it. Pain.

 

She kept jogging, reaching the mess hall and was glad to find it empty. All these people were becoming too much. She needed a break. She poured herself a bowl of cereal and sat on the counter as the ate it, kicking her legs out and humming between bites. She was enjoying herself so much she didn’t notice Shikamaru and Choji until they came into the kitchen itself.

 

“Do you live here?” Shikamaru snapped. Naru smiled at him.

 

“Hey grumpy, what’s up Choji-chan?”

 

“Nothin much Naru-chan what’s up with you?”

 

“Jus eatin’ some cereal, want some?” She offered, passing the box to him. He took it. Naru smirked. Shikamaru was standing with his arms crossed.

 

“Hey!” He snapped, “Did you just-“

 

“Hey Choji-chan, what’re you planning on doing today?” She asked, cutting Shikamaru off. He threw his arms up. Choji just smiled, pouring himself out all of the remaining box, so that it heaped out of the bowl, and pouring in just enough milk so it didn’t spill.

 

“Eh, Shikamaru and I are probably just gonna go play shogi or something. What about you?”

 

“Sakura-Chan and Teme are practicing their shuriken. I was helping… but, I got hungry,” She smiled. Shikamaru was obviously not used to being ignored. He was staring between Naru and Choji like he was watching a tennis match. It was taking everything Naru had not to burst out laughing. Choji looked like he was on the verge of laughing as well.

 

“Hey if you’re not doing anything, you can hang out with us!” He said, smiling. Naru grinned at him. A thumping noise came from where Shikamaru was standing.

 

“No, no she can’t, Choji! What the hell!”

 

“That sounds great!” She said, beaming at him and throwing her bowl into the sink, where it shattered, “Thanks Choji-chan!”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: We The People... , A Tribe Called Quest
> 
> Sasuke: Online Songs, Blink 182
> 
> Sakura: Scandilove, Ida Maria
> 
> Gaara: Shook Ones- Freestyle, Mobb Deep
> 
> Shikamaru: Stong As An Oak, Watsky
> 
> Choji: Beverly Hills, Weezer


	30. Shikamaru, and this girl has a unique talent for being Absolutely Intolerable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I live Shikamaru more than some of my family members

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru is so talented at being a complete asshole

 

 

He was going to kill Choji.

 

Shikamaru was just trying to have a relaxing afternoon, play shogi, and watch clouds through the window, but Naru kept poking at the pieces, asking what they did, and making Choji laugh, and calling him  _Choji-chan._ The sixth time she interrupted the game he actually threw himself backward, groaning. Choji was laughing so hard he was probably going to pass out, and Naru was just grinning like a fox that had caught a bird.

 

“I was just asking a question!” Naru laughed, smacking Shikamaru on the stomach. He jumped up, glaring at her.

 

“I’m trying,” he pointed at the board, “to strategise, and  _you_ are distracting,”

 

“It’s weird,” she laughed, tilting her head, “Everyone seems to say that,”

 

“That’s because you’re an intolerable pain in the ass,” He snarled, pointing at her now. She leaned forward, her grin turning into something more threatening.

 

“Fight me and I’ll leave you alone,” She said, staring straight into his eyes. He looked over at Choji, whose arms were crossed, a self satisfied smirk on his face.  _I really will kill him._ Shikamaru thought, looking back at Naru, who had put her hand on the shogi board, scattering the pieces, leaning in toward him. He wanted her to get out of his face, and leave him the hell alone.

 

“I’m  _never_ going to fight you, Naru,”

 

“God damn it!” She snapped, grabbing his vest and shaking him, overturning the board and flinging shogi pieces across the room as she did, “Just hit me already!”

 

The door swung open, and Sasuke and Sakura rushed in, looking out of their minds with worry. The second they saw Naru, gripping Shikamaru’s shirt, inches from his face, worry turned into fury so quickly Shikamaru couldn’t help but laugh.

 

“You dumbass Naru! What the hell do you think you’re doing sneaking off like that? Do you even  _know_ how worried I was?” Sakura screamed, her face turning red. Naru dropped Shikamaru and held up her hands in surrender. Sasuke strode across the room and grabbed the back of Naru’s tanktop, hauling her to her feet, his Sharingan activated, a scowl so firmly placed on his face Shikamaru thought it might become permanent. Naru just kept grinning like a kid who’d been caught doing something she knew she’d get away with.

 

“I will lock you in your room, I swear,” Sasuke threatened, glowering down at her.

 

“Eh, what’s the big deal, you guys were doing fine on your own,” She held her arms out, “I just wanted to hang out with these guys for a minute,”

 

“Hang out! Yeah, that looked like they were having a great time!” Sakura snapped, glancing at the overturned Shogi board, Choji, who was trying not to laugh, and Shikamaru, whose vest was still screwed up from where Naru had seized him.

 

“You need to control yourself Naru,” Sasuke snapped, shaking her. Something about it annoyed Shikamaru. He didn’t like Sasuke that much, and the feeling was quickly intensifying. There was a reason he wouldn’t fight Naru, it was that she was smaller, and a girl. Sasuke, however, seemed oblivious to this, yanking her around. He shook his head and looked away. No point in making a fuss.

 

“I have perfect control over myself, thanks. I don’t need you to say shit to me about it. And you have no room to talk anyway, your sharingan has been flaring up randomly ever since you got that stupid hick-”

 

Sakura slapped her hand over Naru’s mouth, and she and Sasuke made to drag Naru from the room. Sakura yelped, and whipped her hand away, a bite mark across her palm. Naru grinned over her shoulder, still being pulled forcibly from the room.

 

“See ya later Choji-chan! See ya later grumpy!”

 

“Stop calling me that!” Shikamaru yelled, moving to shut the door behind them. Naru just started laughing as Sakura whacked her across the head. Shikamaru shut the door and shook his head, kneeling to fix the shogi board. Choji smiled at him.

 

“You know, life’d be really different if she’d been on our team instead of Ino,”

 

“Yeah, it’d be even more annoying,” Shikamaru snapped, moving the shogi pieces back to where they had been. Choji grinned.

 

“I think we make a good team, but Naru is hilarious,”

 

“You’re the only one who thinks so,” Shikamaru grabbed the chips that Naru had flung across the room and placed them on the board. “Besides her, that is,” He narrowed his eyes, counting them quickly. One was missing.

 

“Choji, get up,” He snapped, gesturing for Choji to stand. Choji looked taken aback.

 

“What?”

 

“A piece is missing, get up,” Shikamaru snapped, placing his hand on the ground and looking under the nearby dresser. Choji stood. It wasn’t there. It wasn’t under Choji either. He sat up, arms shaking.

 

“That girl is going to be the end of me,” He growled, standing and striding to the dresser.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shikamaru: Bad Day, Darwin Deez
> 
> Naru: I Will Possess Your Heart, Death Cab For Cutie  
> (except replace Possess Your Heart with 'Get you to punch me in the face')
> 
> Choji: The Party Song, Blink 182


	31. Naru, and the pathetic attempt to pass the time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru is her own special brand of annoying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you believe this loser?
> 
> Chapter thirty. Time flies when you can't pick a fucking ship and have no friends.

When Naru finally got her teammates to let her go, she dug her hand into her pocket. She pulled it out, tossing it into the air and catching it. Keima. Cassia Horse. She grinned to herself. Any minute now.

 

They reached the training room, and Sakura started a lecture, but Naru shushed her, leaning her head out the door, listening.

 

“What-”

 

“Sh! Wait for it…”

 

“Wait for wha-”

 

There was a loud crash. Something Heavy being thrown through a window, accompanied by a scream of anger and frustration. 

 

“NARU!” 

 

Naru turned, grinning, to her teammates, holding up the Cassia Horse. They both looked at it, confused. Sasuke got it first.

 

“Dobe, you’re a real asshole, you know that?”

 

“Oh, I’m aware,” She smirked, putting the piece back in her pocket and beaming, “He’ll have to fight me now,”

 

“You’re a demon sent from hell to ruin everyone’s lives, I just know it,” Sasuke said, throwing up his hands and shaking his head, turning away from her. She pointed at him with both hands and laughed.

 

“You don’t know how right you are,” She laughed. Sakura closed her eyes as the sound of someone throwing doors open drew closer. 

 

“I hate you,” She sighed, before pushing Naru out of the room and slamming the door. Naru stumbled back, and then knocked on the door. 

 

“Sakura-chan! Let me back in!” She laughed. She heard Sakura click the lock. Then there was nothing but the sound of Shikamaru charging up the spiral, kicking doors in, looking for her. She could her him swearing loudly at people who protested their doorways being destroyed. 

 

“She’s over here!” Sakura screamed from inside the room. Naru froze. She could hear Shikamaru fall still further down the hall. 

 

“Uh, Sakura-chan? Please let me in,” She said, hearing Shikamaru speed up again, sprinting toward her.

 

“No! You deserve whatever you get out there!” she snapped. Naru spun around, holding her arms out a little. Shikamaru came into view, his face furious.

 

“Naru, you little shit!” He shouted. She backed up, then turned and sprinted away from him, laughing like a maniac. He screamed in frustration. Choji was trailing behind him, cracking up. Naru ran all the way to the dead end at the top of the spiral. It was a door, sealed to prevent the genin occupying the tower sneaking out of it to cause trouble.  She spun around, pressing herself against it. She could tell Shikamaru wouldn’t be able to stop himself in time, he had too much momentum. She braced herself to jump out of the way, but he reached out, slamming his hands either side of her head, glowering down at her. The boarded up door shook with the impact.

 

“Where… Is it?” he gasped, out of breath with a combination of anger and the sprint. She bit her upper lip.

 

“What?” She asked, smiling up at him. He lowered himself to eye-level with her.

 

“Where’s the Keima?” 

 

“The what? Sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” She said, trying to push him back weakly, her arms shaking with suppressed laughter. He didn’t move.

 

“I swear Naru, you really don’t wanna do this,” He growled, “just give me the piece back,”

 

“Uh, I think I do,” she finally started laughing, “You aren’t getting that piece until you fight me,”

 

“Oh, I’m not going to fight you, Naru,” he snarled. She stared into his face, eyes narrowing. He was a planner, always three moves ahead, but she couldn’t read him.

 

Choji leaned against the wall, looking bored already by the stand off. He pulled out a bag of chips, popping one into his mouth.

 

“It’s in her pocket,” he said, yawning. “Sorry Naru-chan,”

 

Naru dug her hand into her pocket and gripped the piece. Suddenly Shikamaru snapped his hands together, clasping them between he and Naru. 

 

“Shadow Possession Jutsu!”

 

Naru felt her body seize up, her hand gripped around the piece.  _ No way. Nope. Not happening. _ She tensed every muscle in her upper body, resisting as he started to move his arms. His eyebrows shot up.

 

“Damn, you are strong. But you’d have to be herculean to get out of this one. Do this the easy way Naru,” He pushed through her strength, holding one hand flat out in front of them. Her arm stuttered forward, coming to rest under his. He pulled his other arm forward, and the hand holding the Cassia Horse came forward too. 

 

“Shikamaru-kun! God damn it!” Naru snarled through gritted teeth. Shikamaru just smirked.

 

“And…” he opened his hand, slowly, and the shogi piece dropped from Naru’s hand and into his, “Thank you,” He released the jutsu. She just glared up at him, shaking with frustration.

 

“Hey Naru, cheer up,” He laughed, tossing the piece into the air and catching it, “you almost had me there,” he put the piece in his pocket and turned. Naru’s heart was beating in her ears like a war drum. Choji was watching her, his eyebrows raised, like he was waiting for her to do something, but she felt frozen. He’d outsmarted her so easily. She’d completely forgotten to stay away from his shadow. It was such an obvious oversight.

 

“Shikamaru-kun!”

 

Shikamaru turned, one eyebrow raised. “What now?” he sighed, hands in his pockets. She pushed off the door and stomped up to him, squaring up.

 

“If you don’t fight me fair and square now, I’ll get you another way, you know that, right?” Naru grinned, crossing her arms, “I’ll start ambushing you,”

 

“Naru, you couldn’t sneak up on a blind and deaf commoner,” He turned away, gesturing for Choji to follow.

 

“I’ll find a way to catch you off guard! I swear!”

 

“Bye Naru-Chan!” Choji laughed, waving. Naru waved back reluctantly.

 

“Bye Choji-chan,”

 

She watched them go, and then went back and kicked the door of the training room off its hinges. Sakura and Sasuke were standing there, Sakura covering her mouth, obviously trying not to laugh.

 

“Don’t… Say… A word,” She bit out, teeth gritted, jumping up to the kunai she’d left in the doorframe and continuing her pull-ups. Sasuke sighed. 

 

“That was pathetic,” He said, laying back on a table as Sakura went back to throwing knives. Naru scoffed. 

 

“Kiss my ass, it’s none of your business,”

 

“You’re embarrassing,” 

 

She pulled the left knife out and stabbed it higher, staring to climb the wall. she only stopped when her head brushed the ceiling on her upswings. She could feel Sasuke glaring at her. She needed to do legs, but that would require her getting down and actually standing in the room with her squad, and she’d rather cut her left hand off entirely than do that at the moment. She braced herself on the wall and flipped, planting her feet against the ceiling and then kneeling. As soon as she was solidly placed against the ceiling, she used chakra to stick herself there. then, blood rushing to her head, she glared down at Sasuke, who had been watching her bemusedly.

 

“What are you doing?” He groaned. She smirked.

 

“Curl ups,” She said, placing her hands behind her head and starting. 

 

“Why are you on the ceiling?” He asked, squinting up at her.

 

“Makes it harder,” She grunted. She saw him shake his head on the downswing, but ignored him.

 

Sakura turned, looking up at her, and for a while, they all just stayed like that, Naru doing curl ups on the ceiling, Sasuke reclining on a table, Sakura leaning against a bookshelf, and the silence of change hanging in the air between them.

 

For a while they were fine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shikamaru: Know How, Young MC
> 
> Choji: Simon Says, Pharoahe Monch (this song is a love hate relationship)
> 
> Sasuke: Gold On The Ceiling, The Black Keys
> 
> Naru: All Star, Smash Mouth. (you knew this was coming, we all knew this was coming.)
> 
> Sakura: Fuck You, Lily Allen


	32. Sakura, and putting a name on the problem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakura talks to the voice in her head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second soul is really made more prominent by her rivalry with Naru, and is just the place she puts all her anger and aggression etc., (the qualities she thinks would 'scare boys off'), but that just made her second self stronger and stronger.

Sakura couldn’t sleep. She was tossing and turning, her mind roiling with a terrible mix of memories and Other Sakura’s conjectures and opinions. First she saw Ino, laughing at Naru, then she saw her throwing the chair at her back. It had hit Naru so hard that it shattered, But Naru brushed it off like the paper shuriken that children had thrown at her when they were young. 

 

**_Remember the insults they used to write on them? And you couldn’t ever pluck up the courage to stop them? You were too preoccupied with being popular._ **

 

_ No one stopped them. There’s nothing wrong with being a bystander.  _

 

**_You can keep lying to yourself, but I never will._ **

 

_ Great, at least I have that. _

 

Sakura thought about the curse on Sasuke’s shoulder. How it kept spreading up across his collarbone and up his neck, almost touching his jaw every time he got angry. How his Sharingan had been flaring up randomly. Like he had a fifth of the control he’d had before.

 

**_That mark’s unstable and you can’t even be bothered to tell him about it. Just like you haven’t told Naru about that error in her seal._ **

 

_ Shut up. Naru’s seal is strange, there’s nothing like it. It’s not… I can’t be sure. And Sasuke’s curse was definitely unfinished. That’s obvious. But the problem remains that in the end we need to figure out why that grass woman wanted to unbalance his mind and intensify his chakra like that. What could be the benefit? _

 

**_Whatever it is it’s not good for you. And let’s talk more about how you now have two supernaturally powerful people with unstable seals on their bodies on your team and yet again you’re the weakest rat in the race._ **

 

_ Naru isn’t unstable,  _ Sakura snapped back,  _ her mother did a fantastic job. She’s actually incredibly stable considering the seal has a loophole like that. _

 

**_A loophole that lets her tap into the Kyuubi’s power like a damn maple tree. Face it, it’s disconcerting. It’s almost like her mother wanted to keep her safe and figured no one could like a demon. Like her mother anticipated trouble. If she’d wanted, she could have made Naru a normal human. But…_ **

 

_ She left her the fox. What a legacy… _

 

The Other Sakura laughed. Sakura glared up at the ceiling. She never used to be this active. She should never have let her out. She thought of the man, his blood, his screams. She should have figured it out without her.

 

**_But it felt good, didn’t it? And I, for one, enjoyed the fresh air. Listen, I don’t mind staying inside for the boring parts, but I think I'll be the main personality in fights from now on._ **

 

_ No. I’m going to deal with this by myself. You’re my curse. Those two had theirs thrust onto them, but you and I are byproducts of each other. No, you’re a byproduct of me. _

 

**_Or is it that you’re a byproduct of me? Who’s the real Sakura? That’s the problem with sharing a body… Who came first? The chicken or the egg?_ **

 

_ Evolutionarily the first animals we could really call domesticated chickens would have come from eggs laid by their ancestors, so… the egg. Duh. _

 

**_But which one of us is the egg smartass?_ **

 

_ I am. You’re the chicken that hatched from me repressing my rage and indignation from early childhood in order to make friends. _

 

**_More like the dragon that hatched from the egg, then._ **

 

_ Oh stop. I can’t take you seriously.  _

 

**_Oh really? And I think I deserve a name. I hate being called the Other Sakura._ **

 

_ Well if I’m the flower, then you’re the thorn. Ibara. _

 

**_Ibara huh? I actually don’t mind that. Ibara it is. Makes things easier, doesn’t it?_ **

 

Sakura nodded, half in order to check Ibara hadn’t taken control of the body. It was strange, actually having a conversation with her. Like… meeting a sibling you hadn’t seen since you were a baby. Strangers but somehow not. Not that Ibara was a stranger.

 

**_Kinda hard to be strangers with someone who shares your meat suit._ **

 

_ Do  _ not _ call the body a ‘meat suit’, you freak. _

 

**_Who’s the freak? The chicken or the egg?_ **

 

_ I’m going to sleep now. _

 

**_Oh you think you make that decision? Watch this._ **

 

Suddenly, her consciousness cut out, and she was in complete darkness. She felt her body falling into sleep rhythm without her even having closed her eyes. Ibara laughed.

 

**_It’s a shared body. You weren’t paying attention and I shut it down._ **

 

_ How? _

 

**_I honestly just reached my hands out, knew what I wanted to happen, and slammed them onto the ground._ **

 

_ What is this place? _

 

**_The soulscape. Ino was in here a fair few days ago, she knew what she was doing though. She cheated off you for that written test._ **

 

_ She did what? _

 

**_Yeah she was doing her possession thing. It was whatever._ **

 

_ No! Not whatever! We’re at capacity in here! It’s crowded! No more souls! _

 

**_I’ll remember that for next time._ ** Ibara snapped, rolling her eyes. Sakura looked around. It was nothing but blue black darkness.

 

_ How do we sleep? _

 

**_Just imagine yourself on a bed and decide to sleep._ **

 

Sakura imagined a bed in front of her, and a small cot appeared. Ibara raised her eyebrows.

 

**_That’s the best you can do?_ **

 

_ What? You can do better? _

 

**_I live here. Watch._ **

 

Ibara closed her eyes. A massive four poster bed with red silk sheets and white pillows appeared behind her, and her black and white frame was suddenly in a night dress. She winked at Sakura before clambering into the bed and stretching.

 

**_Night Sakura._ **

 

Sakura begrudgingly got into her cot, looking over at the massive bed. 

 

_ Night Ibara. _

 

They both laid down and Ibara fell asleep quickly, but Sakura couldn’t clear her mind enough to decide on sleeping. She guessed Ibara couldn’t read her thoughts while they were both in the soulscape, but mainly she was worried that Ibara would be able to hijack the body while she was out.

 

She wasn’t going to let that happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sakura: hostage, Billie Eilish
> 
> Ibara: Girl Anachronism, The Dresden Dolls


	33. Naru, and the summary of too many fights for me to reasonably describe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You've watched naruto, you know what happens. this just covers what's different in detail.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry i just couldn't face writing a chapter for every single fight.

Naru could hear her heart thrumming in her ears as all the Genin were herded into the tiled room, facing the Hokage and the various instructors and proctors, and lined up into neat rows. She stood between Sasuke and Sakura, who looked exhausted.

 

She expended enormous amounts of restraint trying to remain quiet. There was a lecture she disregarded, and then they announced too many of them had passed. There’d be a tourney to see who would progress. She briefly glanced around herself, trying to gauge how many of them there were. Definitely less than half of them had progressed.  _ This is too many people? _

 

Naru bit her tongue, buzzing with excitement. A fight. Maybe she’d get Shikamaru. 

 

The Old Man, Sarutobi, The Hokage, called out for anyone who wanted to surrender now. Kabuto Raised his hand without hesitation, but that worried Naru significantly less than the strange spasm that overtook Sakura. 

 

She eyed her as they filed up onto the viewing platforms. She could hardly contain herself. She grasped Sasuke’s hand, grinning at him.

 

“I hope we can fight! This is awesome!” She said, pulling him closer to her so she could keep her voice quiet. Sasuke just stared at their interlocked hands until she let go, ashamed of her own lack of control.

 

The generator spat out names. First a stranger… and Sasuke. He looked distracted as he trod down the stairs and faced the man. A member of that creepy Kabuto’s team.

 

Sakura hissed something to Kakashi, But Naru was too distracted to catch it. She watched as they squared up, and as the stranger pinned Sasuke, his hand over the younger Genin’s face. Naru couldn’t stop herself from screaming out at him.

 

“Come-on Sasuke! I know you can do it! I’m the only one who gets to kick your ass, remember!”

 

After she spoke, was a strange pattern spread across his skin. He moved fast, faster than she’d ever seen him move before, and kicked the other ninja into the air, a strange, ecstatic look coming over his face as he slammed the man back into the ground, headfirst. 

 

Sasuke was declared winner, and Naru’s knuckles turned white on the railing. Had he always… been able to do that?

 

Kakashi was with him in a second, and then they were both gone.

 

She was completely distracted throughout Shino’s fight. She only registered that Shino had won.

 

The bully, Kankuro, won his fight, after which he winked up at her. She rolled her eyes, making sure he could see as she did so. She worried about Sasuke as he strode back up to his place. She knew he would have hated that wink.

 

Then Sakura’s name came up. And then Ino’s. They walked down, glaring at each other. It started slow, a lot of yelling, taunting. But then Ino cut her hair off, and threw it at Sakura. Ino collapsed.

 

Sakura froze, her left hand trembling. Her arm started moving, then, suddenly, she started laughing. Ino snapped up again, looking at Sakura in horror. 

 

“How do you have two souls?” She cried, panicked, scrambling backward. Sakura was just laughing, maniacally. She threw her head back, grinning ear to ear. Everyone in the room was just staring at her.

 

“Oh,” she laughed, gripping her fists in front of her and glaring back down at Ino, “This.. this feels good. Ibara is in the HOUSE!” She charged toward Ino, leaping on her and pounding her fists into her face, laughing as Ino buried a Kunai into her thigh. Naru leaned forward, watching as Sakura beat Ino bloody. Something was very very wrong.

 

“Ha! MAN this is good,” She laughed, standing, pulling Ino up by her top, spinning with her, pulling her face close to hers, “This is what I’ve been biding my time for, I’ve been waiting years for  _ this _ ,”

 

“She’s using her left hand,” Naru murmured, “she’d right handed, why is she using her left hand?”

 

Sakura threw Ino across the room, slamming her into the wall. Ino slid down it, crumpling against the floor. The proctor stepped forward. She staggered, grinning, opening and closing her hands like she was testing them, staring down at her body like it was new.

 

“I’m keeping this,” She cackled, jumping up and down experimentally. 

 

“The winner is-“ The proctor stopped, staring at Sakura, who was swaying, twitching randomly.

 

Suddenly, Sakura’s right hand swung up and struck her in the temple, knocking her out cold. She fell to the ground, almost a mirror image of Ino.

 

The proctor blinked, an exact picture of the shock that Naru felt. 

 

“Double knockout,” He called, his voice echoing in the silence, “No winner,”

 

Tenten lost to Gaara’s teammate, Temari, But Naru saw none of it. She was too busy looking after Sakura, who was unconscious.

 

She heard, rather than saw, Shikamaru win his fight. She smiled to herself.  _ I’ll get you, grumpy. _

 

She put a wet cloth over Sakura’s forehead. Sakura looked like she was sleeping restlessly. Naru was worried, both her teammates were down, and Kakashi hadn’t come back. She was so worried that she didn’t see her name get called. Shikamaru had to get her attention by throwing a ball of bandages at her head.

 

“Hey loser, it’s your turn,” He drawled, pointing at the pit. She jumped up, staring down at her opponent.

 

There was Kiba, smiling up at her, with something else in his eyes. Regret? She leapt down, landing in front of him. 

 

“Let’s get this thing popping!”  _ Then I can go find Sasuke and figure out how he’s doing. _

 

He pulled Akamaru from his hoodie and set him down between them. She groaned.

 

“Come on Kiba! It’s bad enough I gotta fight you! Get Akamaru outta here,”

 

“I never fight without Akamaru,” He bent down, leaning in, “Hey Naru, no hard feelings, right?”

 

“Well that’s on you, considering I’m gonna kick your ass,” She laughed, hunkering down into her defensive stance.

 

The fight flew by. She had been caught off guard by the smoke bombs at first. He hit her harder than she’d expected, but then she got him with her clones and disguises. She wound up knocking him out in the end, after he’d hit Akamaru. She was the one who’d placed him on the stretcher, and she walked him out, joking with him when he came to, placing Akamaru on his chest, a little sore, but definitely going to be okay. 

 

“You’re stronger than I thought,” He said, wincing as he shifted. She smiled, stopping at the door.

 

“People are making a habit of saying that,” She limped back up to Sakura, who had come to, but seemed really distracted. Naru decided not to ask her what ‘Ibara’ meant until later.

 

Hinata and Neji were next, and Naru didn’t understand what was happening. They both just looked like they were missing each other. But then Hinata was coughing up blood, and Neji was just… watching. Not sorry at what he’d done. He looked disgusted by her, On the ground, blood spurting from her mouth, determined to keep going.

 

Naru leapt down, kneeling by Hinata, grasping at her hand, assuring her she’d be okay. Hinata smiled at her.

 

“I promise I’ll be strong like you one day, Naru-Chan,” She had said, blood splattering across Naru’s face and running down Hinata’s cheek as she had been pulled into a stretcher. Naru was shaking, her whole body buzzing again. 

 

She turned to face the handsome boy, who looked like he didn’t care at all. 

 

“What was that?” She barked, glaring at him. Neji stared back, unfeeling.

 

“We fought,” He said, emotionless, “and I won,”

 

Naru scoffed. “You tried to kill her, don’t you care at all?”

 

Neji just looked at her, insolent. She bent down, placing her hand firmly into a puddle of Hinata’s blood, pulling her hand up and into a fist. Blood dropped steadily down from her grip, sticky and still luke warm.

 

“I’ll fight you, and I’ll win, I swear... you bastard,” She snarled, glaring at him. Neji didn’t react. his arms were crossed, his face blank. Naru almost jumped him there and then, but there was Sakura, a hand on her shoulder and a voice in her ear.

 

“Come on, they need to clear the floor for the next fight. We have to move,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke: 99 Red Balloons, Goldfinger
> 
> Naru: No Hesitation, Marian Hill. Heaven Knows, The Pretty Reckless.
> 
> Shino: In Cold Blood, alt-J
> 
> Sakura: Bellyache (Marian Hill Remix), Billie Eilish
> 
> Ibara: Love Bites (So Do I), Halestrom
> 
> Ino: Don't Play, Halsey
> 
> Kankuro: Get Big, Dorrough Music
> 
> Shikamaru: Rock N Roll Lifestyle, Cake
> 
> Tenten: Sideways, Marian Hill
> 
> Temari: Uncomfortable, Halesrom
> 
> Kiba: Sabotage, Beastie Boys
> 
> Hinata: Walls Could Talk, Halsey
> 
> Neji: Toe To Toe, Streetlight Manifesto


	34. Gaara, and the power of what you can't understand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaara fights someone with eyebrows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was drunk when i wrote this one and the last one so i apologise

It was her. The sight of her, blood splattered across her face and dripping from her hand, combined with the look in her eyes… He felt like he’d lose control right there. He was shaking, watching her friend drag her up to the platform, where she absentmindedly wiped the blood from her hand across her shoulder and down her chest, smearing it across not only her shirt but her exposed collarbone. He didn’t wait for the name to come, he had to fight someone. He needed blood. He stared up at her, noticing Kankuro striding to join her, leaning casually on the railing. She looked annoyed, but refused to shift away when he violated her personal space. Gaara hadn't seen him take his stupid game this far before. He must really be having fun with her. Gaara grounded himself, trying to clear her from his mind.

His opponent was the boy in green. He looked weak, but who was to say. So did she, but she was doing something, obviously, to attack people’s minds. That was it. She must be secretly attempting some type of psychological warfare.

 

The fight began. The boy was fast, but not fast enough. Impressive, but not… unheard of. Gaara was impatient. He wanted to kill. He glanced up at her, saw her snap at Kankuro, then turn and shout down at them.

 

“Come on Bowl Cut!” She had yelled, “You can do this! You have the power of eyebrows! He doesn’t stand a chance!”

 

_ The power of what? _

 

Gaara glared up at her. She wasn’t scared for her friend? Was she stupid? Did she think that he, Gaara of the desert, the Monster of the Sand, could be beaten by this… child? The thought of her underestimating him made fury thrum in his veins. He’d show her. Gaara went offensive, pushing the boy back, onto the statues. But now, the boy’s teacher felt the need to interfere. 

 

“Okay Lee!” He said, grinning, “Go ahead and take ‘em off!”

 

_ Take what off? _ Gaara watched as the boy removed a pair of leg weights. When he dropped them, the floor shattered.

 

The boy was suddenly too fast to even see. He was too fast for Gaara’s sand. And he just kept getting faster. Gaara was buffeted side to side by the boy’s blows, in shock. If it wasn’t for his sand armour, he’d be… in  _ pain _ . He was being kicked up, into the air, one hit after another…

 

Then he was thrown into the ground. He lay there, shocked, staring around at the quiet room. There was the boy, injured, exhausted. He sent out the sand, grabbed his leg, his arm, and.

 

“Sand binding coffin,” he spat, clenching his fist and crushing the boy’s limbs. He almost smiled at the scream.  _ Now death _ . He heard  _ her _ cry out, but his sand was already there, almost on the boy.

 

_ I had wanted Uchiha, but this one will do for the first. Watch, as I kill your friends one by one, and show you how weak you truly are. _

 

But as soon as it seemed assured, as soon as he had begun the plan to kill them all, Rock Lee’s teacher stood in the way, scattering Gaara’s sand across the room. He had had his victory stolen from him  _ again _ .

 

“Why? Why would you save him? He failed,” He spat, confused.  _ Why would you take this from me? The only thing that I can do to feel alive. _

 

“Because…” The man said, “He is my student, and he is precious to me,”

 

_ Precious? To you? This failure?  _

 

Rock Lee trembled and stood on shattered limbs, slouching strangely, eyes out of focus.

 

“But…” He mumbled. But there was an outcry, and the teacher turned to his student.

 

The boy was unconscious. His body standing on his crushed leg and still trying to fight. Gaara couldn’t understand. He looked up at  _ her _ . Blood smeared across her face in stripes from where she’d tried to wipe it away, sweat keeping it damp on her skin, making it run down her skin as though it was fresh, a bruise blooming across her cheek. The pink haired one was holding her back as she made to leap over the railing, straining to get to Rock Lee. To help him. Her muscles were tensed, veins protruding in her neck as she yelled stupid nicknames at him. Gaara was declared the winner.

He felt no joy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gaara: El Chapo, The Game
> 
> Rock Lee: Berzerk, Eminem
> 
> Naru: Miss Me, Leikeli47
> 
> Guy: Patiently Waiting, 50 Cent- Eminem


	35. Naru, and the pain of preference

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru feels bad, then she feels bad about something else, then she feels bad about a whole other thing, and in the end she meets a person who you all know and love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh-kay, so due to the fact Jiraiya is kinda a gross person i'm putting a warning on this chapter- it's nothing worse than what's in the show but all the same. Someone talks to a minor about gross shit.
> 
> see also: Naru never had a five elements seal on her in this, so she's not unbalanced like Naruto was at this point. it's part of the reason she beat Kiba so easily. She's still, of course, a knucklehead, so don't think this was super easy for her either. she just caught on a little quicker. I also get into Naru's respect issues. have fun.

Choji lost his match with the sound man who walked like an animal. Naru shook the whole time, Sakura holding her. She hadn’t ever seen anything like this. She hadn’t ever been faced with the reality of people she liked-  _ loved-  _ dying without her having the ability to help. It had made her feel powerless, useless. 

 

She thought of Hinata bleeding, and Lee’s screams. How could she even begin to help them when she was so weak? So…  _ pathetic? _

 

Lee had been so much stronger, so much more skilled, yet Gaara had ruined all his chances for achieving his dreams. Hinata had almost been killed by her cousin, and she had a month to train before she’d get a chance to fight the boy who did it. She thought about his face, beautiful and uncaring, cruel, judgmental. She'd never be able to face herself again if she lost.

She and Sakura walked toward the hospital. Sakura pulled off to buy flowers, but Naru just kept walking. She went to see Kiba first, feeling guilty, but found him sitting up, talking to Akamaru. He had his hood down, and it suited him. She had always liked his hair, thick and messy, a little longer than hers. She wasn’t going to tell him that. Not now.

 

“Hey! You’re the first one to come to my sick bed! Where’s Shino-chan and Hinata-chan? Too busy celebrating to come see the flunkie?”

 

Naru grit her teeth and looked down. Kiba leaned forward, and she could feel his eyes scan the blood on her chest and face.

 

“Naru-chan, did something happen? Sit down, talk to me!”

 

Naru collapsed onto the end of his bed and looked at him.

 

“Hinata-chan fought that Neji-bastard and he… He won. That technique they use, gentle fist? He… he gave her a heart attack. She’s here, in the hospital. She’s gonna make it, I just know it, so don’t worry too much,”

 

“She’s… had a heart attack?” He asked, his hands moving to Akamaru and pulling him close. Naru clenched her fists.

 

“My next fight is with Neji, in a month-“ She started, but he cut her off, leaping forward and grabbing he upper arm.

 

“Drop out,”

 

“What-“

 

“You need to drop out. If this kid gave Hinata-chan a heart attack in the preliminaries, then there’s no saying what he’ll do to you during the actual event! Don’t risk it! We’ll just take the exams again, together, next year,”

 

Naru stared at him, surprised. There was a strange kind of desperation in his eyes. Like he needed her to do what he said or he’d be driven to distraction. Naru shook her head.

 

“Kiba, you know me better than that! I'm not dropping out. I’m gonna kick his ass, I swore it to his face, and this is my opportunity. I’m gonna beat him, for Hinata-chan,” she smiled at him, grazing a clenched fist against his jaw, “and for you and I, cause I know you wanna beat him too Kiba-chan,”

 

She could see the muscle in his jaw twitching as he stared at her face, like he was chewing something. He started to lean toward her, but stuttered to a halt immediately, and she stood, a hand on his shoulder, leaning him back. 

 

“You rest up Kiba, and when you get outta here work on your jutsu. I didn’t expect you to be such a pushover,” She joked, moving her hand quickly and flicking his ear. He caught her hand and held it, making her look back at him.

 

“Hey, it’s not too late to back out, you can even surrender during the fight… I- well, you need to be careful, don’t be a knucklehead and get yourself hurt,”

 

Naru grinned down at his worried face, and gave him the thumbs up. “I’m not gonna surrender, I’m gonna win. Believe it!”

 

Kiba’s mouth twitched into a smile, and he let her hand go. “Come back and tell me about your training,”

 

Naru shook her head. “You aren’t gonna be here that long, dog boy, don’t worry. I went easy on ya,”

 

Then she left, and went to find Sasuke.

 

Sakura was already there when she finally found him, and he was asleep. Naru’s first instinct was to check the weird mark, as though she could sense something was up. It had been encircled by Kanji that looked like they had room to surround more of the weirrd dots. She frowned. Why wouldn’t it be gone now? Why wouldn’t they center the seal around the curse?

 

Sakura was watching her face, like she was waiting for Naru to start asking questions about Sasuke. Naru shook her head.

 

“Who’s Ibara?” Naru asked, pulling the collar of Sasuke’s shirt to cover the mark. Sakura looked as though Naru had just punched her.

 

“What?” She gasped, voice hoarse.

 

“After you were possessed, you came to and started acting weird. You said ‘this feels good, Ibara is in the house,’ or something,” Naru looked up at the other Kunoichi, “why’d you say that?”

 

“Naru-chan…” Sakura looked down, fiddling with the flowers she’d set by Sasuke’s bed, “You know I have a short temper, right?”

 

“No shit, really?”

 

Sakura shot her a nasty look, but then sighed. “I have two souls in me. And one… one is Ibara. She was the one who killed that guy, and she was the one who… hurt Ino. She’s like…”

 

“What, so there’s two of you in one body? Like me and the Kyuubi?” Naru asked, gazing at Sakura in shock. Sakura looked up, Surprised.

 

“Yeah kinda,” She furrowed her brow, “Yeah I guess out of anyone, you’d get it,”

 

“Of course I get it, how come you didn’t tell me before?” Naru asked, Walking to Sakura and holding her hand, “You can trust me on this, Sakura-chan, you can tell me stuff like that, I’ll never judge you. We’re a team, right?”

 

Sakura looked surprised, but then smiled. “Yeah, Yeah we are,”

 

“So don’t stress about it! I love you and I probably love Ibara too, even though she just seems like she wants to kill people, but it’s the right people so, that’s good! We’re a four man squad all by ourselves!”

 

Sakura laughed. “I guess so,” She looked down at Sasuke. “He’s stable but, I don’t think he’s gonna wake up any time soon. I asked about Hinata-chan but… She’s not able to have visitors right now. They said Rock-san is though. Wanna go see him? I bought him flowers too,” 

 

“Yeah, I definitely wanna see him, where is he?”

 

Sakura paused, “He’s in the long term care ward, I… didn’t… I didn’t wanna go alone,” 

 

Naru nodded. “We’ll go together,”

 

The visit was short. He was unconscious. Naru peeked at his chart. It made almost no sense to her, but looked… bad. Really bad. She wished she could throw some of her healing factor into him, to help somehow. She chewed the insides of her cheeks as Sakura placed flowers in a vase at his bedside. She looked so… at home here, like it was the right place for her, at the side of a hospital bed, arranging flowers. She had a strange, feminine energy that Naru lacked entirely. 

 

Naru made up an excuse and left her there.

 

She strolled down the hall, eyes on her sandals. She ran straight into…

 

“Oh! Kakashi-Sensei!”

 

“Naru-kun, were you visiting Sasuke-Kun?” Kakashi asked, looking around. Naru nodded.

 

“Yeah, but he’s out cold. Anyway, Kakashi-sensei, I had a favour to ask you, I need to train before-“

 

“Don’t worry, I already took care of it. I got you a teacher who’s even better than I am,”

 

“But Kakashi-sensei! I wanted you to train me!” She whined, throwing her hands up, “Who are you trying to pawn me off on? Is this so you can go train Sasuke-Kun?” Kakashi looked down at her, the small sliver of his face that was visible a mixture of surprise and resignation. Or something else. Naru could never read her teacher.

 

“Listen, I’m not pawning you off on anyone, I found you an instructor who specialises in what you need to learn specifically. He’ll do a better job than I ever could. Look, here he is now,” He gestured at the hallway behind her. She turned, and burst out laughing. Ibisu, Konohamaru's private tutor, was walking up to them. He froze when he saw Naru.

 

“Kakashi-sensei, I  _ know _ you don’t expect me to hang around with this pervert!” She said, pointing at Ibisu, who tensed up immediately.

 

“This… what?” Kakashi asked, lifting his hand to his temple like he was developing a headache. 

 

Ibisu rushed forward, palming Naru’s head and laughing awkwardly. “Nothing, Just our little joke, Kakashi-san, Don’t worry about it,”

 

“No, it’s not, this scrub took one look at my Harem Jutsu and fell apart, he’s a total pervert and you’re expecting me to listen to  _ anything _ he has to say? Kakashi-sensei, get serious here,” 

 

“Um, Harem… Jutsu… aside… I think that it’s best for you to re-cover the basics with a private tutor, and, Ibisu-sensei is the best private tutor in the village,”

 

“But-“ Naru started, but Kakashi held up his hand to stop her. She looked up at him, frowning. She respected Kakashi, and it stung to have him brush her off. He hadn’t even bothered to lie about training Sasuke instead.

 

Kakashi left, and Naru turned to Ibisu.

 

“Listen, you nasty pervert, the only reason I’m even humouring this is because Kakashi-sensei said I should. If it were me calling the shots, a scrub who got beat by an eleven year old girl would NOT be training that  _ same eleven year old girl _ a year later, but I…” She sighed, the words in her chest driving their claws in, refusing to come out without a fight, “I really need to get better. So, lead the way. But be warned, you nasty son of a gun, if you suck at this, then I’ll kick your ass. Again,”

 

“You only caught me off guard, that’s all,” Ibisu said, his forehead sweating. Naru rolled her eyes.

 

“You, a Jonin, let yourself get caught off guard by a sudden group of naked girls. Produced by me. A kid. You’re gross. Get to the training already, will you?”

 

It didn’t take long before they were up at the hot springs. Ibisu was lecturing about _respect_ and _listening_ to him and some other lame bull, and Naru was nursing the wound Kakashi’s favouritism of Sasuke had done to her pride. She got it, logically, she understood that Kakashi wanted to train Sasuke because he had sharingan and he was the only one who could teach Sasuke how to use his, but… she wished she could have trained with them. She was, yet again, jealous of Sasuke. His skills and abilities and understanding were all above hers, and she felt as though Kakashi choosing to train him, and him alone was kind of… pointing that out. Not to mention the person he’d chosen to train her was a nasty old pervert. 

 

Then, suddenly Ibisu was walking on water. He explained something about chakra control, and how it was similar to walking on trees. She felt confident she’d be able to do it...

 

Until she tried, and fell straight through the surface of the steaming water. Ibisu looked so smug she really considered using her sexy jutsu on him again, but… She _did_ have to learn.  _ But why him? _ She whined internally.  _I'd rather be back with Iruka._ But Iruka was teaching in the academy. He couldn't just abandon his duties there to train her. She sighed.

 

“You have no control over your chakra and you’re inefficient when it comes to building it up. You’re far inferior to both of your teammates when it comes to control,” Ibisu said. Naru squinted up at him, feeling anger bubble in her stomach, “Both Sakura-san and Sasuke-san have better chakra control than you. You’re far behind them when it comes to the basics,”

 

“Oh yeah?” She snarled, turning red as she clambered out of the hot spring, and glowered at him “If that’s true then how come there’s been times when I saved both of their asses in combat? Huh?”

 

“That’s only because you have reserves of energy and chakra that are completely inhuman,” Ibisu snapped, pointing at her. She froze.  _ Oh yeah, he would know, wouldn’t he? _ She looked at the ground, feeling her stomach burn. “You need to learn to control yourself,” Ibisu snapped. In her head, Sasuke’s voice echoed.

 

_ You need to get control of yourself, Dobe. _

 

She shifted, looking up at him. She got to her feet, and tried again, and again. She just kept plunging into the boiling water. 

 

Just as she got to the point where she was getting it, finally starting to find her balance, she got distracted. There was an old man, sitting outside the bath house peeking into the women’s bath. She burst out laughing and fell into the water. Ibisu turned to see him, and started.

 

“Are you… Peeking into the women’s bath? I will not allow any disreputable behaviour, sir!”

 

The old man whipped around, smiling, “Oh please!” He summoned a toad, who whipped Ibisu straight into the ground. when the smoke cleared, he was there, red lines down his cheeks and a smirk on his face, perches precariously on a massive toad. “What’s wrong with you? You trying to get us busted or what?”

 

Naru climbed onto the bank, spitting the water out of her mouth and looking up at the man who’d just clobbered her trainer without even trying.

 

_ Great. The battle of the perverts. If I’m getting trained by one of these assholes, I’m sure as shit getting trained by the stronger one.  _

 

_ “ _ Hey! Who are you?” She snapped, standing up and walking over Ibisu. The old man smirked.

 

“Hah, I’m glad you asked kid!” He struck a pose and grinned. “I am the Myouboku Mountain’s Monk of the Frog Spirits, otherwise known as... The Toad Sage!” He grinned down at her. Naru raised her eyebrows.

 

“Okay, ya nasty old man,” She said, “but you just knocked my teacher the hell out,”

 

“Oh, that guy was teaching you?” He looked down at Ibisu, "He wasn't doing a great job. Or are you just a crap student?"

 

“No! He's a shit teacher. And since you interrupted... uh… Now you gotta train me,” She snapped, walking up to him and his toad, “Cause… That loser is down and out, something that is  _your_ fault, and I don’t have time to waste waiting for him to come to,”

 

“Listen here, boy,” The Toad Guy snapped back, pointing down at her, “Your teacher was interfering with my research, and I am not about to train a little runt like you, I’m busy,” He held up a book. It was the same one that Kakashi always had his face buried in. She rolled her eyes and stepped closer, lowering her voice, doing her best Sasuke impression.

 

“Listen, everyone’s busy, the thing is, if I wanted, I could make a whole lotta noise. And you’d get found out. And more than just my teacher’ll be on your ass for being a gross old _peeping tom_ ,”

 

“And _you’d_ get busted for hanging outside the women’s bath too,” The sage pointed out. "We're both gross peeping toms," Naru grinned, and pulled her tank top aside to show him the strap of her sports bra. She couldn't blame him for the mistake. She did strap herself flat every morning. not that there was much to strap, she'd burned off most of the fat on her body training.  _Like I said before. Sakura has a feminine energy that I just don't have. A whole lotta feminine everything else too._

 

“‘Cept I'm a girl, ya Dirty Old Man. And if you don’t agree to training me, I’ll start yelling,” She tilted her head and straightened her shirt. The man smiled back at her.

 

“I like ya, kid,” He smirked, “I guess I can’t say no,”

 

“No you can’t,  _ sensei,”  _ Naru laughed, gesturing for him to follow her. He reluctantly obliged.

 

“But listen kid, I’m not trying to weasel out or anything, but I do really have to do some research here, so…”

 

“Research? Yeah right. You’re just making excuses,” She snapped, glancing over her shoulder at him.

 

“What’d you know about it? You have to be eighteen or older to buy my books, so you wouldn’t know anything about what kinds of research-”

 

“All you were doing was peeping at naked women, and you can do that any old time,” Naru clenched her fist in front of her, “I need as much training as possible in the next month so I can beat Neji Hyuuga!”

 

“Who’s Neji Hyuuga? A boy who turned you down cause you look like a guy?” The old man snapped. Naru spun to face him, walking backward.

 

“Neji Hyuuga is my next opponent in the chunin exams. I have to defeat him in order to progress, _and_ I swore a blood oath to defeat him,”

 

“That… sounds like a  _ you _ problem,” He said, putting his hands behind his head. She glared at him.

 

“It’s your problem too now Perv, you just said-”

 

“Listen kid, I already told ya I’m busy. I gotta go find some hot chicks and… examine them,”

 

“Hot chicks?”

 

“Yeah, hot chicks, fine ladies, beautiful women,” He rolled his eyes, “Nothing you’d know about,”

 

“Listen Perv, I know more than anyone about hot chicks, okay? Hell, I branded the damn technique on hot chicks,” Naru snapped, coming to a halt and glaring at him.

 

“What would you know about hot girls? I wrote the literal book on hot girls. You’re just some… androgyne,”

 

“I don’t know what that word is, but androgyne this, you old coot! Henge!” she snapped, gripping her hands together.

 

And there it was. That same face they all make. She’d put some real effort into this one, not too much, not too little. It’s be a convincing disguise… if she hadn’t been dead naked. It was easy enough to play coy, the way she always imagined a girl would be if she got a one in a few years… The Toad Dude was completely blindsided.

 

“Oh, Sensei, don’t stare…” She said, conjuring a blush. The old man was in, hook line and sinker. Dunzo. Naru sneered internally.  _ Men are hyenas. This is getting ridiculous. Sasuke’s reaction was much more fun. _

 

“Whoa! How’d you do that? She’s a perfect ten!” He angled himself from side to side, grinning wildly. She just blinked up at him, “Okay, I’ll teach ya, but on one condition,”

 

“What condition?” She asked, playing it up a little. She couldn’t help herself. These guys were too easy to manipulate.

 

“Only if you stay like that the whole time,”

 

She released the jutsu, returning to her usual form and glaring up at him. “You nasty old pervert. Not the whole damn time!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Swan, Willa
> 
> Kakashi: Someday, Sugar Ray
> 
> Jiriaya: Immigrant Song, Led Zepplin


	36. Jiraiya, And The Prodigal Son (or is he the prodigal son? you decide)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jiraiya is surprised by how quickly he decides he likes this weird shouty child. maybe it's because of something else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> She's gettin things Pop-pop-poppin' ladies and hyenas.
> 
> (this arc is actually surprisingly hard to write. i don't know exactly how i want this dynamic to take shape.)

 

Naru strode out onto the water, teetering and then plunging into it. Jiraiya was cross legged, watching her struggle. 

 

“It’d help if you thought of the water as having a hard surface. I can tell you’re afraid to fall, and it’s making it inevitable that you do,” He said. She shot him a frown, and he laughed internally. She was such a weird little kid.  _ She reminds me of myself, a little. _

 

He watched her grow steadier and then…

 

“Hey! Dirty old man! Look!” She hopped up and down, water splashing a little under her feet. _She got it faster than I thought she would. She really wasn’t listening to Ibisu._ _Tsunade would like her._

 

She grinned at him, flashing him a peace sign as she spun on one leg, dragging her other toe through the water, sending little waves through the surface, spraying droplets everywhere. Jiraiya smiled to himself.

 

 _Minato, can you see this? She looks just like you._ _You’d think a daughter would look like her mother, but… she’s like a little clone of you._

 

“Hey! Earth to pervert! Let’s get this poppin'! what other new stuff can you show me?” The girl was in front of him now, waving her hand in front of his face. He blinked and looked up at her. 

 

“No, that’s enough for today. I think we should talk for a while,”

 

“You’re not gonna make me do the sexy jutsu again, are you?” she asked, rolling her eyes.

 

“No,” Jiraiya stood, and gestured for her to follow. She did, crossing her arms and frowning. He led her into the woods, and they sat across from each other. “Listen kid. You probably don’t know this, but inside of you, you possess two chakras,”

 

“Wait a minute… You know about the Kyuubi? Are you from this village originally?” Naru slammed her hands down on the log, standing, bracing to defend herself. Jiraiya almost fell off his own log. Flower petals flew past them in the setting sun. This was  _ not  _ how he thought this conversation would go.

 

“Wait… you know about the Kyuubi? How’d you…”  _ Hadn’t they banned people from talking about it? _

 

“Uh, listen here old man,” Naru growled, hunkering down even more. He wished she’d relax, he wasn’t going to hurt her.  _ Someone else might though. _ He realised,  _ and she knows enough not to trust strangers. Good girl. _

 

“I only recently came across that information, and I’m the one with the fucking seal on my stomach. The last person who brought that up out of the blue bit my friend and turned him into a grouchy asshat with a curse mark, so it’s best if you explain your position now,” She growled, clenching her fists. 

 

_ The fact you were self aware enough to realise it at all is kinda impressive, I don’t care how recently you did.  _ “Okay, kid, calm down, I’m not gonna bite anyone. I know it can be shocking when someone knows more about you than they should, but I am originally from this village.”  _ How much do I let slip? “ _ I trained the fourth Hokage,” That did it. Mistrust was replaced with wonder as she looked up at him. She sat back down.

 

“Really?” She asked, voice bursting with ill-contained excitement.

 

He nodded, smiling slightly. He’d never met a kid who looked so much like their parent.  _ I have to be careful or I’ll get caught up in having flashbacks all the time.  _ “Really. And I’ll train you too, but our first order of business is to get you to the point where you can control and channel the Kyuubi’s chakra,”

 

“Then let’s get it poppin’!” She said, jumping to her feet.  _ Get it popping?  _ Jiraiya smiled again.

 

“Not until tomorrow. You need a bath and some rest,”

 

“Old man, I just fell in the water about nine times today, the last thing I need-“

 

“Kid, what you need is soap. Grimy little…” He gestured for her to follow. She reluctantly did, and they both went to the bathhouse and split up. She went to the women’s section, he went to the men’s. 

 

_ It’s strange,  _ he thought, getting into the water and leaning against the edge of the spring,  _ how history just seems to repeat itself. I get the feeling that this is the start of a whole nother ballgame. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jiraiya: Fortunate Son, Creedence Clearwater Revival. Father Of Mine, Everclear.
> 
> Naru: Wild Thing, The Troggs (I'm gonna use this so soften ya'll just buckle up.)


	37. Naru, and that old saying... absolute power conducts electricity?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru flexes and Jiraiya wards off an approaching aneurysm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru is a knucklehead and it's beautiful.

Naru woke with the sun. It was becoming a habit now, not that she’d ever been able to sleep long. She just had too much energy. She went into town, and the second the tailor opened she strode in and ordered a pair of orange trousers, cut like the black ones she’d gotten from Sakura. But with pockets. The tailor looked like she was in physical pain when Naru asked for the colour to match her jacket, which she was wearing again, unzipped, with the sleeves rolled up. 

Naru just kept grinning and paid in advance.  _ It really will make everyone miserable except me! Hah! _

After that, she grabbed some breakfast and met up with The Toad Sage, who was looking bemusedly at her jacket.

“Did you have that thing on yesterday?”

“Nope! I forgot it at home,” She grinned, “Don’t worry, I won’t forget it again. It was just an accident during the chunin exams,” She adjusted her headband, another chunin exam accident. One, however, she would likely keep. 

“Okay kid, how do you expect to survive as a ninja wearing neon-”

“You have five foot long white hair and wear wooden shoes, neither of us are stealthy. Also, don’t start a fashion fight cause I’ll rip you to shreds…”

“What do you mean-” he started, but she cut him off.

“Fishnets. Why does  _ everyone _ wear fishnets?” She snapped, pointing at his forearms. He looked down and hid a smile. She rolled her eyes.  “Let’s just get to the important stuff,” He shrugged at her. 

“Okay, if you say so. Follow me,” he lead her to the pond, where she’d seen Choji training before. Naru smiled at the memory of seeing him there, practicing as she passed by to the spot in the woods where she trained. She was excited for what the Sage had planned… Until the old man promptly planted himself in the bushes to watch the girls who were swimming there. Naru grit her teeth.  _ Am I gonna have to put up with this all month? _

“Henge!”

She leaned forward and whispered in his ear. “Hey Sensei, can’t you pay attention to me for a minute? Pretty please? I really need some… Training, Sensei,”

The old man whipped around, grinning, and Naru jumped back, breaking the Jutsu. The sage wilted. “Aw, no fair. Are you making fun of me kid?”

“Listen, ya nasty old bastard, there’s nothing  _ fun _ about this,” She pointed at him, “I haven’t been able to take any of you assholes seriously since before the exams, and I really need to get trained so that I can beat Neji into a damn pulp,”

“Okay, first of all, you’re really going to need to get over this Neji kid, first of all. He’s not interested-”

“It’s not like tha-” The sage held his hand up, stopping her.

“And second of all, the girls just left, so it’s time for me to teach you something,”

“You’re so gross,” Naru groaned.

“Yeah, well, I also didn’t wanna train you, but you’re the one who insisted, and here we are,” Jiraiya took a deep breath, “So you know you have access to the nine tails’ chakra, right?”

“Oh, you mean rent? Yeah, I know,” she slapped her stomach, smiling, “He’s still got a lot of debt to clear,”

“Rent? You know what, I don’t care. You need to learn how best to control that different type of chakra, because your ability to tap into and control that chakra will be crucial in order to achieve the power levels needed for what I’m going to try to teach you here,”

“Power… levels?”

“You’re going to need to be able to control it at will, and I’m guessing up until now you’ve been unable to tap into that energy unless-”

“I can only do it when my life is in danger,”

“Exactly,” He said, “so our goal here is to get you to the point where you can get at that energy at will,”

“Sounds Jazzy, how do we do it?”

“Well first, you need to use up most of your chakra,” he said, “then we’ll see if you can summon up some of the Kyuubi’s chakra,”

“Okay, I have an idea,” She said, backing up. She gathered as much chakra as she could, and summoned as many clones as she was able to. There must have been around twenty five of them. 

“Alright everybody let’s go!” One of the clones yelled, and they instantly began beating each other senseless. Naru was happily standing in the middle, throwing punches and taking them, her nose already bleeding, a grin on her face. she kept catching glimpses of The sage, watching, eyebrows raised and an expression of bemused surprise on his face. She blocked a punch and kicked a clone out of existence. She was starting to get dizzy from the amount of memories flashing into her mind’s eye. She felt herself get kicked to the ground from behind, and struck out her left leg at her attacker. She then yanked another clone by the ankle and sent her slamming to the ground, where she dissipated.  

When she was the last one left, covered in dirt and her own blood, gasping for air, she grinned at The Toad Sage. He just shook his head.

“Okay, now that’s over, try conjuring up the fox’s chakra,”

She nodded and snapped her hands together, closing her eyes as she tried. At first, she just felt the last dregs of her own chakra. She felt anger gather in her stomach, bitter at her own uselessness.  _ Sasuke would be able to do this if it were him. He can do everything right. _

Then she felt it, a roiling red energy bursting out like a dam breaking. She felt herself smile as she let it stretch out around her, emanating from her like fire from stove that had just ignited, or heat from the sun itself. Raw, powerful, dangerous. She let out a strange mix between a whoop and a scream, a sound of triumph as she slammed her hands to the ground, sending cracks shooting out from where her palms struck. The sage called out.

“Okay! Okay! Wind it back a little, find control,”

_ But who would want to wind this back?  _ A voice in her head laughed as she crouched, grinning. Or was she snarling?  _ Who would want this to stop? _

“Naruto!”

She flinched, like her full name was a dagger he had thrown at her. She pulled the power back, looking up at her teacher. She squinted at him.

“How do you know my name?”

The man stared her down, unflinching, “After your annoying little blackmail session yesterday i asked around a little,” He crossed his arms, “Why don’t you go by your full name?”

“You don’t go by yours either, _Toad Sage_ ,” She snapped, straightening up and feeling the chakra dissipate. It was beginning to come to her why she shouldn’t just… break the ground. She glanced down at the place where she’d slammed her hands.

“My name is Jiraiya, and now you don’t have an excuse,” he said, not ceasing to stare. She tilted her head, brows furrowed.

“It’s good I don’t need one. I can go by whatever I want to, Pervy Sage,” She looked down again. Jiraiya pointed at the place where she’d lost control.

  
“That, is what we’re trying to stop. You need to get a handle on yourself. Power like that comes with consequences, and if you don’t watch it, you’ll wind up a rogue. Or worse,”

“Worse than a rogue?”

“Worse than a rogue. Now, I want you to focus that chakra again, and keep control of yourself this time. Think of something… grounding,”

She bit her top lip, trying to picture something that’d stop her from losing control. Her mind went to Sasuke first, but…  _ He’s what made me lose it in the first place. No, you need to think of someone steady. Sakura? No, she’s as unstable as you are. Kiba? No, I like Kiba, but not enough to stop me from doing that again. Ramen? Uh, that might be the same problem as Kiba… _ Her brain fixed on a face, deadpanned, unfeeling.

She began to build up her chakra, focusing on that face. She felt it build, but kept it back, sharpening it to a peak, and then she looked up at her teacher, who was watching with a satisfied smirk on his face. She kept his face in the back of her mind, and sneered back.

“What should I do?”

“Show off a little kid, what can you do?”

“Shadow Clone Justu!” She snapped, and the clearing was filled with an army of her. Maybe two hundred. Jiraiya grinned ear to ear.

“Pretty amazing kid, but I think you might need a new trick,” He laughed. She dissipated her clones and smiled back. 

“Why’s that?”

“Cause, Neji’s already seen that, hasn’t he?” Jiraiya looked her up and down, “And I get the ever growing feeling he’s the one you were thinking about just then, wasn’t he?”

She squinted at him, but didn’t say anything. She didn’t want him to know either way. Because, there could have been plenty of people who’d make her want to keep control, but for some reason, she was just  _ burning  _ to make it so Neji never underestimated anyone ever again. More specifically, her.

She’d make sure he took her god damn serious, if it was the last thing she ever did. He’d take her deadly serious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Uncomfortable, Halestorm
> 
> Jiraiya: Smoke On The Water, Deep Purple


	38. Jiraiya, and the child who's a monster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jiraiya has emotions and Naru is determined to get stronger, as usual.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided that Jiraiya is going to be a very protective father figure.

Okay, so the kid was fucking terrifying. He’d met scary kids before. He’d met scary adults. He’d never trained a twelve year old that took such obvious pleasure in getting punched in the face, or one broke the ground like she was a tiny version of Tsunade or something, but Jiraiya was one of the Legendary Sanin. He could totally deal with a preteen with supernatural powers. This was right up his alley. 

But damn, did he pity that poor little Neji kid. Whatever he did, the kid probably didn’t deserve to have Naruto set on him. He definitely didn’t deserve to have her set on him after Jiraiya taught her some new tricks. But… what could he say? He was a total sucker for the kid already. He’d shape the damn moon into a weapon and hand it to her if she wanted it. He wondered if he was going soft, or if she had this effect on everyone. Maybe it was cause she was identical to Minato, or that he saw so much of himself in her, but whatever it was, it made him feel kinda… glad he was back home. 

He was definitely going soft. But there she was, practicing her summoning, and bringing up nothing but tadpoles. She was growing more and more frustrated, but instead of giving up or complaining, she was just trying harder and harder. He was getting a sneaking suspicion that if he let her, she wouldn’t sleep tonight. She’d just stay here and keep trying until she got it. 

She just kept going. It’d been hours. He was just about to call her off when-

“Gamakichi?” He snapped, staring, bewildered at the little toad.

“Yo! Jiraiya! What’s going on?” He looked around at Naru and Jiraiya, surprised. “Why’d you summon me?”

“I didn’t, it was her,” he replied shortly, pointing at Naru. Naru smiled at the toad and held her hand out, which he shook, surprised.

“Hey, no one ever shakes my hand! I like ya, kid!” He peered up at her face, “I’m Gamakichi!”

“Hiya! I’m Naru! I only just learned to summon!”

“Well, that’s pretty cool!” Gamakichi said, hopping up onto a higher rock, “I’m really not that into fighting though, so I’m not really sure I’d do a ninja much good. You could probably summon my dad if you really tried,”

“Do not summon his father!” Jiraiya snapped, “I can’t even deal with his father’s bad attitude, let alone a little twerp like you,”

“Twerp my ass,” Naru snapped back, spinning around on her heels and grinning at him, “I’m getting better already!” 

“We’ll call it here today, you need a shower, there’s still blood on your face,” 

Naru rolled her eyes and winked at Gamakichi, who winked back. Jiraiya smiled.

“I can smell you from here. Shower. And be quiet,” he rolled his head to either side, cracking his stiff joints. Naru laughed and grabbed Gamakichi, plopping him down on her head. He laughed too. Jiraiya rolled his eyes.  _I really am a sucker._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Extraordinary Machine, Fiona Apple (again, i know)
> 
> Jiraiya: Frank Sinatra, Cake


	39. Naru, the fox and the frog

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> here we explore two aspects of Naru’s personality. One side of her is kind, caring, and loving.
> 
> The other side is just what happens when you get treated like a monster your whole life. You get bitter, and prepared to do anything in order to achieve your goals.

Naru spent the next two days conjuring Gamakichi and his brother, not managing to get anyone more useful. It was Gamakichi who had suggested it in the end, whilst Jiraiya was too busy peeping at the girls at the pond and Naru was getting so frustrated she might lose control when he asked her.

 

“Well, when were you actually able to summon a lot of chakra? With the exception of the time you beat yourself up, of course,” He was sitting on Naru’s head where he normally sat, patting his hands along her forehead. She sat cross legged, her chin in her bloodied hands.

 

“I guess when that grass bitch almost killed me and Sasuke-kun,” 

 

“Well maybe you just need to almost die again, and you’ll get a hang of it,” He suggested. Naru shot a glance at Jiraiya, who was laughing to himself, staring at one of the more… gifted girls, and then she stood, squaring her shoulders.

 

“You’re right, Gamakichi, I gotta go all out,” She glanced at Jiraiya again, then she jumped away, swiping the toad off her head and hugging him to her chest. He turned his head to look at her.

 

“What, so you’re just like… gonna go kill yourself?”

 

“No, don’t be dumb. I’m gonna go _almost_ kill myself so I can get some totally rad powers,”

 

“Oh, yeah, stupid me,” Gamakichi scoffed, turning back and looking ahead of them. He shot her a glance out of the corner of his eye, “Where are we going?”

 

“The cliff outside the village,”

 

“And  _ why _ are we going to the cliff outside the village exactly?”

 

“I’m gonna jump off of it, and you’re gonna sit at the top. Tell Sakura and Sasuke I love them if I die,”

 

“If you die, I’ll go back to Myōboku, you know that right?”

 

“Oh! And Kakashi-sensei, Kiba, Shikamaru, Choji, Iruka-sensei, Hinata, The folks who run the ramen shop, that Gaara kid too, he looks like he needs a hug, Lee! Lee is important-”

 

“The list of people who you love is way too long,” Gamakichi whined, rolling his eyes. Naru gave him a little squeeze.

 

“You, and The pervy sage too,” Naru stopped, her eyes on the cliff’s edge. “We’re here,” 

 

“You know you don’t really have to do this, right?”

 

“Of course I do. It’s the only way I can beat Neji!” 

 

“I think your fixation on this Neji kid is getting a little too intense, you might need to talk to someo-”

 

“Remember who I need you to talk to!” Naru shouted, setting Gamakichi on the ground and hurling herself off the cliff. For a moment, it felt as though her heart had stopped. She was whipping through the air, the ground growing ever closer, she screamed, snapping her eyes closed.

 

_ She was in the sewer again, facing the Kyuubi eye to eye. He was grinning. _

 

**_“I’M GLAD YOU’RE BACK, LITTLE KIT. ARE YOU RETHINKING MY IMPRISONMENT?”_ **

 

_ “Pal, I’m not rethinking shit,” She glared up at him, “thanks for actually pitching in for once but I need you to stop doing that thing,” _

 

**_“WHAT... THING?”_ **

 

_ “The thing with the anger and the uncontrollable lust for power that kicks in when I try to use too much of your chakra,”  _

 

_ “ _ **_I DON’T DO ANYTHING, KIT. THOSE FEELINGS ARE YOURS. I HAVE NO HAND IN YOUR LUST FOR POWER,”_ **

 

_ “Wait, that’s me?” Naru blinked, running a hand desperately through her hair. _

 

_ “ _ **_YES,”_ **

 

_ “But… I’m not… I’m not like that…” she said, whipping both hands out in front of her face, spreading her fingers apart, as though forming a border to keep her thoughts close to her. _

 

**_“OBVIOUSLY YOU ARE,”_ ** _ the fox demon laughed, “ _ **_HUMAN OR NOT, YOU ARE MINE. MY KIT,”_ **

 

_ “I’m not your  _ kit, _ I’m not your anything besides your.. Your prison. And you-“ she frowned, “I don’t like this place, I’m not gonna just chill in a damn sewer. One sec, this is my stupid brain place right? Here,” She closed her eyes and focused. _

 

_ The room surrounding them changed. They were now standing on solid ground, and the Kyuubi was perched in a craggy and wide clearing, with high walls and a caged dome over his head, a habitat not unlike that of a zoo. He stood and stretched, looking around himself. She stood in an observation room, looking at a seal on the coffee table in front of her and the red couch behind her. The Kyuubi just stared at her as she reclined onto the couch, throwing her feet up on the table. She stared at him. _

 

_ “This feels better. Anyway, I’m not your kid or your kit. I’m your prison and your landlord. You need to do what I tell you to do, or, your stay here will get more uncomfortable,” _

 

**_“YOU CANNOT INTIMIDATE ME,”_ ** _ The Kyuubi laughed. Naru pulled a pear out of the fruit bowl perched on the side table and bit into it, smiling. _

 

_ “Everyone really needs to get a grip on this,” She laughed, turning the pear, “You all really need to take me seriously. It’s stupid not to. I dont know what I look like but… Well, I’ll give you an example of why, exactly, I’m not the type of person people should be writing off,” She looked at the demon and narrowed her eyes, shooting large stone spikes from ground through the caged ceiling, impaling him on two of them. She withdrew them quickly, however, and sealed the ground, replacing the rock with soft, low heather. He staggered a shocked look on his face, staring at her face as she chewed calmly. She pulled her feet off the coffee table and stood, turning her pear and biting into it again.  _

 

_ “ _ **_AND YOU SAY YOU AREN’T MY CHILD,”_ **

 

_ “You fucked up my whole life, but  **I** have the power now. If you want, I can give you a contract, but... you need to give me something,” Naru strolled up to the glass in front of her and made the pear disappear. The Kyuubi struck out, clawing at the glass, but it had no effect. Naru laughed. _

 

_ “Like I said. I have the power here. So. You give me Chakra on tap and a fair few little skills, and I’ll uh… Let you live here without being speared on a spike. And if you’re a really good boy, I’ll let you see what’s happening in my life. Some in house entertainment. I mean, you gotta be going nuts with boredom here,” She leaned on the glass. The Kyuubi grinned, laying down and crossing his forelegs. _

 

_ “ _ _**OH, KIT, WHATEVER YOU SAY TO THE CONTRARY, YOU AREN’T JUST SOME HUMAN. BUT YES, I AGREE TO YOUR CONDITIONS, I’LL GIVE YOU POWER AND YOU’LL GIVE ME MORE...”** he rolled his shoulders, licking his teeth **, “FREE REIGN,”**_

 

**_“_ ** _ I reserve the right to revoke at any time,” She said, snapping her fingers and conjuring a scroll. Jiraiya really could never know just how many ideas he gave her. She bit her hand and signed it in blood, then a similar scroll appeared in the enclosure. The demon placed a paw firmly on it, and both scrolls disappeared. Naru grinned.  _

 

_ “Alright, well, I have to go save the body, partner,” _

 

“ **_GOOD, I WILL SEE YOU TONIGHT, KIT,”_ **

 

Naru opened her eyes, barely a hundred feet from the ground, and bit her hand, summoning all the chakra she could…

 

When the smoke cleared she was perched on the head of a toad the size of half the damn leaf village, who was bracing himself on either side of the canyon.

 

“Jiraiya! What the hell do you think you’re playing at, summoning me here?”

 

Naru shuffled forward, trying to catch a glimpse of the massive beast’s face, “Uh, hey, Toad man, there’s no Jiraiya, just me, I summoned you,”

 

“You did what?”

 

“I did it, hello, I’m Naru Uzumaki, it’s nice to meet you,”

 

“Listen Kid, I don’t care who you are, I just need to know why Jiraiya summoned me,”

 

“I’m telling you, he didn’t, it was me, I’m introducing myself,” Naru snapped, glaring at the toad. Suddenly she was snatched off the toad’s head by a long, studded tongue, and was being glared at. Naru glared right back. The toad leapt out of the canyon and onto the side of it, tossing her to the ground unceremoniously. 

 

“JIRAIYA! WHERE ARE YOU?” the massive toad yelled, shaking the ground with the booming volume of his voice alone. Naru felt Gamakichi hop back onto her head.

 

“Hey! Dad! This is my friend, Naru! She’s great!”

 

“Your friend?” He snapped, looking down at her. She grinned and waved up at him.

 

“Yeah, hey, it’s me, the summoner,” She said, standing. 

 

“You, a little boy, summoned me, Gamabunta, The Chief of the Toads of Mount Myōboku? I’ll believe that when the sun stops burning, kid,”

 

“Dad, she’s a girl, and she did summon you! I saw it!”

 

The Toad Chief lowered his head, staring down at Naru, who was smiling up at him. He narrowed his eyes.

 

“You look like… who’s your father, brat?”

 

“No clue, he’s dead,” Naru said, placing her hand over Gamakichi to make sure he didn’t fall as she craned her neck in order to stare up at his father. Gamabunta stared back.

 

“Son, you said she was a friend of yours?”

 

“Yeah, a real good one pop, she’s a pretty cool chick,”

 

“Well then,” He took a long drag of his pipe and straightened up, breathing out a cloud the size of the Hokage’s dome, “I guess she’s fine by me,”

 

“Well you’re fine by me too, Mr. Bunta,” Naru said, grinning. The toad chief glowered down at her.

 

“Don’t push it, sparky,”

 

Naru just kept grinning, and Gamabunta disappeared.

 

“Thanks, Gamakichi, I can't help but feeling like that woulda been a lot tougher if you weren’t here,” She laughed, pulling him off of her head and holding him out. He shrugged.

 

“Friends help each other out, right?”

 

“Yeah, friends do!” She said, pretending that there weren’t tears prickling in her eyes as she said it. Gamakichi didn’t point them out. She just placed him carefully back on her head and took off back to the waterfall where they’d left Jiraiya.

She realised, that night, that no one had ever said that _she_ was _their_ friend. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru, inside of her own mind: In My Back, The Tiny
> 
> Naru, in her life: Kiss On The Cliff, Gregory and the Hawk
> 
> Gamakichi: Ghosting, Freelance Whales (I spend too much time ghosting with the likes of you and yours) 
> 
> Gamabunta: Supermassive Black Hole, Muse


	40. Jiraiya, And The Girl Who Can’t Think

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jiraiya finds something Naru is really bad at. Thinking.
> 
> (Sorry this is where my chapters are gonna slow down to around one or two a day. You guys are all caught up.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love where this is going, i’m excited that people are actually reading this, i’m excited that this isn’t just for me this time, thanks so much I really can’t describe how much you guy’s support means. (I’ve written a lot and this is the only thing i’ve written that anyone ever read this far into)

“Are you stupid or something?” Jiraiya snapped, glaring at Naru, who was cross legged on a acid green toad the size of an ATV, Gamakichi perched on her head, all three of them chomping down on rice balls she’d bought from a place in town. Jiraiya narrowed his eyes.  _ Something happened she’s not telling me. She shouldn’t have been able to manage something like this in just a week. I’m either dealing with a prodigy or something way more dangerous. _ He looked at her orange pants and unzipped jacket, sleeves still rolled up.  _ And no prodigy dresses like that.  _

 

“It’s been said, but, all the same, I think you should teach me the next thing,” She said, spraying rice at him.

 

He stepped forward, lowering himself to her eye level. “I’m training you for the Chunin exams, not the fourth great shinobi war. You don’t need to know more. I don’t even have to keep training you,”

 

“You haven’t seen Neji fight,” She said, her voice muffled by another mouthful of rice, “I’m serious, he almost killed Hinata-chan in the preliminaries. He could kill me, easily,”

 

“He almost killed who?”

 

“Hinata-chan, she’s a rookie, like me, she’s the sweetest kid on two legs and he gave her a heart attack. He can stop chakra flow to your limbs and organs,” She swallowed, suddenly looking more serious without her mouth stuffed full with food, “He’s a Hyuuga, I’m sure I don’t need to elaborate. Hinata-chan is my friend, she’s small and quiet and I wanna pick her up and put her in my pocket,” Naru flexed her fist, “and she’s Neji’s cousin,”

 

“He almost killed his cousin in the preliminaries? Was she a good fighter? Did she leave him no choice?” Jiraiya asked, eyebrows raised. Naru blushed faintly.

 

“I love Hinata-chan,” Naru bit out, glaring at him.

 

“She was out matched, wasn’t she?”

 

“I faced my friend in my own match. If he’d wanted to, he could have just knocked her out like I did Kiba-chan. He didn’t care if his cousin died. He didn’t care at all,” Naru leapt off her toad, standing, staring at Jiraiya, “And if I’m not careful he’ll kill me, and I swore a blood oath I’d beat him. I swore it on Hinata’s blood,”

 

Somehow, the way she dropped the cutesy honorific made the sentence that much darker. She looked up at him, shoulders squared, jaw set, as though she stood every inch as tall as he did. He frowned. 

 

“Well kid, you talked me into this stupid shit, yet again. What do you want to learn?”

 

“To beat Neji I need two things- I’ve been working it out. I’m no strategist, that’s Shikamaru-Kun, but I’ve been thinking it over- I need to confuse his vision. He has their kekkei genkai, the Byakugan, so that alone is a tall order,”

 

Jiraiya crossed his arms, smiling to himself, “But you have shadow clones,”

 

“Yeah, but I’ll need to distribute chakra into all of them evenly in order to get away with them, else he’ll just slaughter me. And if that wasn’t enough, I need to hit him. No kunai are gonna touch that kid, when he was fighting Hinata he could dodge like a monster. No. I need to hit him hard. Really hard,”

 

“So what do you need me for?” Jiraiya asked, smiling, “You can channel chakra into a punch, right? With your chakra levels, you could knock someone’s head off with a hit like that,”

 

“That’d get me to Chunin alright,” She rolled her eyes, ruffling her hair, “Why don’t I just punch him?”

 

“Nothing wrong with a good old fashioned right hook, kid,”

 

“But you know something better, don’t you?”

 

“Yeah, but I’m not teaching it to you. Not yet. You can wait,” _You_ _  gotta wait cause I need to figure out if you have the self control not to kill people with it. You could do a lot of damage very quickly,  _ “What I think you need is better evasion techniques. I’ve noticed your surprising lack of survival instincts,” Jiraiya put his hand to his chin, smirking, “And I’ve known you for a week,”

 

“Lack of… Bite me, you nasty old goat,” She snapped, glaring at him. He laughed.

 

“Exactly, what I think I need to do here is teach you dodging. You’re a close range kid, and I think I need to make sure you can anticipate moves at close range,”

 

“Anticipate them? You’re going to teach me to see the future?” Naru asked, grinning. Even Gamakichi snorted. She glanced back at him, confused.

 

Jiraiya sighed, rubbing his eyes. “No, but if you pay attention, you can tell what someone is going to do a split second before they do it. It’s in the eyes, and the feet. Tiny, and I mean incremental, involuntary movements that signal what their next move is to everyone around them,”

 

“Okay, so I need to get rid of these movements, right?”

 

“The thing is kid, you don’t have these movements,”

 

“What? but you just said-“

 

“I apologise, I should have clarified. People have these signals if they  _ Think About What They’re Doing. _ You don’t think, it’s like your body makes these calls for you. If you had to fight yourself, it’d be the most chaotic fist tornado to grace this earth. From the sound of this Neji kid, though,”

 

“Yeah,” She said, smiling, “He’s got a brain and stuff! He thinks!”

 

_ This kid is going to be the death of me, ‘He’s got a brain and stuff,’. I should retire. _ “Yeah, he probably does Think, most people Think, you’re actually, believe it or not, the exception here,” 

 

“Alright, alright, I get it, I’m an idiot, hilarious,” She said, waving the idea aside and bouncing forward, her eyes bright, “Show me how to read people!”

 

“Okay, but this type of thing usually takes years to perfect, so I doubt you’ll get it in time. You’ll only get a vague idea of what to do, but it could help, you never know,”

 

Naru just grinned.

 

“So how are you gonna train me?”

 

Jiraiya smiled, and pulled a coin from his pocket. “A trick I picked up from my travels. Ever heard of Puppet Masters?”

 

“Yeah, I guess you could say that,” She growled.  _ Guess she fought one or something. From the sound of it she got beat in a fight. _

 

“Okay, well, I’m no puppet wielder, but, I can use a rudimentary form of it for this exercise,”

 

“How so?” Naru asked, looking at the coin. Jiraiya grinned.

 

He whipped the coin into the air, and snapped it forward, whacking her forehead. She jumped back, rubbing the place where it struck. Jiraiya laughed as an angry self rose on her face.

 

“Hey!”

 

“In order to dodge the coin,” He said, smiling, “You have to watch my hands. If you can anticipate my moves before I make them, you can dodge me. If you can’t…” He snapped the coin forward, and it struck her hand. She swore loud enough to scare the girls in the water away. He sighed.

 

“Try dodging it, kid!” he snapped, and she flipped back, her eyes still on the coin. He hit her again. She growled. “My hands! Watch my hands, it’s the whole purpose of this damn exercise, focus!”

 

By the end of the day, long after Gamakichi and the other toad had gone back to the mountain, after the sun had gone too low for them to continue, Jiraiya looked at Naru. She was covered in bright blue bruises, raised and painful, where the coin had struck her, but she’d finally started watching his fingers. He could tell this was going to be harder for her than the toad summoning. He wondered if it’d take the whole three weeks they had left. He wondered if it’d do her any good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Can’t Hold Back, Midnight Rival
> 
> Jiraiya: Chelsea Dagger, The Fratellis


	41. Naru, Who’s looking out for you? Who’s looking at you funny?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru hates hospital visits

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru is very touch starved, she has problems with boundaries

She woke up early, it was still dark. Naru got dressed, rolling up her sleeves and smearing eyeliner across her eyes, grinning at her reflection after she spat out her mouthwash. 

 

She had asked Jiraiya for the morning off, so she could visit Lee. Kiba had been discharged weeks ago, but with the finals coming up she felt the need to motivate herself. She still wasn’t perfect at the coin excercise, but she’d only been hit four times the day before. If anyone could talk her into redoubling her efforts, it was the boy with the bowl cut. 

 

She went to the clearing where he used to train and picked twigs and a chipped kunai off the ground, and some of the low, ground covering white flowers that grew there. She bundled them up and tied them together with a broken drawstring from one of her bags. She threw the little  bundle into her bag and went into the village, walking through the streets as the sun rose. She smiled at the quiet around her, the little jewel bright windows of early risers and the rustle of nocturnal creatures who stayed neatly out of sight.

 

She waited outside a bookshop until it opened and bought a little blue journal for Lee, figuring that he’d like to write while he was healing, keep track of his progress as he got stronger. At the checkout, the sullen boy pointed out that the journals were buy one get one, so she grabbed herself the orange one off the top of the pile, smiling to herself as she threw them both in her bag with the flowers. She figured she’d never actually fill it, but it might be nice to doodle something every now and again when the others were sleeping on missions. 

 

She sat outside the hospital, eating fruit and throwing the cores as far as she could into the woods, listening to try to see how far away they fell. When the hour was godly, she went in and snuck by the nursing station, wandering down the hallways. She knew he was in the long term care ward, but couldn’t remember where it was. It felt like years ago that she’d been here, not weeks. She hated hospitals, she hated visiting almost as much as she hated being a patient in them. But she knew how it felt to be alone in a hospital bed without any visitors at all, and that was worse than having to brave sterile hallways. She would make sure Lee never felt like she had.

 

She strode past a room where Ino’s familiar voice was shouting about indigestion, and sped up, ducking so she’d be less conspicuous. She made it two doors down before she felt her body freeze.

 

“Where do you think you’re going, loser?” A lazy drawl echoed through the hallway, his words punctuated by Ino’s ongoing lecture. Naru felt her desperation mount in her chest.

 

“Shikamaru-kun, let me go, I really don’t want to run into Ino,” she pleaded, frozen. She strained as hard as she could, even throwing some chakra into her effort to move, but he held her fast. She couldn’t even look at him because she was caught mid step, and he was standing squarely behind her.

 

“I didn’t either, but then I got put on her team, and now I can’t avoid her,” he moved Naru to face him, and made her walk forward, till they were face to face, hands in their pockets. He looked her up and down. “You sure change your clothes a lot nowadays,”

 

“Maybe I think it’s weird to never change your clothes,” She snapped, her eyes flicking nervously to the room Shikamaru had just came from. He tilted his head, frowning.

 

“You don’t have a visitor’s badge, where are you going?”

 

“I’m trying to see Bowl Cut,” She said, panic still growing in her chest. He was just being sadistic here, he could tell she wanted to go, why was he forcing her to stay?

 

“Well you’re headed the wrong way,” he gestured vaguely over his shoulder, her own hand mirroring his movement, “Long term’s that way. I can show you, if you want. Then you’ll at least be with someone who has a visitor’s pass if you get caught,”

 

“Please Shikamaru-kun, I don’t care what we do, just either let me go so I can leave or take me out of here,” She looked at the door again. He sighed.

 

“You realise you don’t have to be afraid of Ino, right? She’s not all that strong, or smart. She only ever insults the way you look and stuff. Who cares what she thinks?”

 

“I don’t care what she thinks,” Naru scoffed, straining as hard as she could against Shikamaru’s shadow possession. He just stepped closer, bringing them toe to toe.

 

“Naru, I can feel you struggling against me. Chill out,” He broke the jutsu and pulled her into a loose hug, one arm around her shoulders, the other looped around her waist. Naru’s body, sore and wound tight with anxiety, relaxed as soon as she realised what he was doing. She raised her hands and patted his back awkwardly, not sure exactly how to reciprocate without crushing him in twelve years of built up touch starvation. 

 

“Let’s go visit Lee,” he said, his tone bored.  He let her go quickly and turned away, putting his hands back in his pockets. She stood there and blinked for a moment, before shooting down the hallway, outstripping Shikamaru and waiting around the corner for her sauntering friend. He was so calm, she couldn’t help but let her anxiety fall back a little, feeling the Kyuubi shift in her stomach, as though laying down.

 

He lead her to the ward, slowly, ignoring the way she’d move ahead of him, straightening paintings and peering into doors, letting him pass her and repeating, trying to stop herself from literally running in circles around him. He just moved, head tilted up slightly, counting ceiling tiles or something like that. Naru kept shooting him looks he wasn’t paying attention to either, but the corner of his mouth occasionally would twitch when she’d try to match his easy pace. 

 

When they reached Lee’s ward, Naru felt that magnetic click in the back of her head that she hadn’t felt since the tower. She held out her hand to Shikamaru, trying to stop him, so she could go ahead, but he just strolled past her. He opened the door to Lee’s room and-

 

Gaara of the Desert was standing over Lee, his sand spiralling around them both, he was growing closer, reaching out with his hand. He froze. Shikamaru had snared him, catching him off guard. Naru was shaking, her body on fire with the amount of chakra he was kicking out. She bit her hand, breaking skin, snapping herself out of it.

 

“What are you doing?” she snapped, wiping blood off her mouth as she moved her hand away, letting it bleed freely. She’d need that blood if she was going to summon something.

 

“I’m here to finish what I started. I’m here to kill him,” the boy said, his voice still so hoarse, like he’d swallowed sand.

 

“You’ve done enough, you can’t kill Lee now, we aren’t going to let you,” Shikamaru said, stepping sideways, moving Gaara away from Lee. His sand, however, still swirled overhead with the intent to kill the unconscious boy. Naru moved forward, walking toward him, and, without thinking, stood between Lee and Gaara, her back to the sand nin. She opened her bag and pulled the slightly crushed bundle of flowers and twigs, with the broken Kunai in the middle, and dropped it with a clink into an empty vase, and opened the journal, writing a note on the first page and snapping it shut, setting it next to the vase now containing her flowers. She brushed his hair back from his forehead. He didn’t look like he was hurting.

 

She turned toward Gaara, ignoring Shikamaru’s shocked expression, and frowned.

 

“Gaara, I don’t know who you think you are, but I’m not gonna let you kill my friend,” She tilted her head and stepped closer, he twitched strangely, but that was just due to the spasm that had just overtaken Shikamaru’s body. Gaara’s face remained unreadable. Naru reached out, the sand not blocking her, and brushed his hair from his forehead, revealing the kanji there. His eyes widened, she could tell he’d never have let her get so close if he hadn’t been trapped. But he could have used his sand to push her back,  and he hadn’t. She knew she was playing a dangerous game, pushing boundaries, but something in Shikamaru’s hug made her realise how bad she needed touch. And when she looked at Gaara, she thought he might too.

 

“I’m the monster of the sand village, my mission in life is to take as many as I can, to prove my existence is stronger than any other, I will kill everyone, until there’s no one left,” he said, louder and clearer than she’d ever heard him speak before. She dropped her hand.

 

“You’re not a monster,” She said, smiling a small, sad smile, “I’ve met monsters. I have one running wild under my skin, and you? You’re nothing like them,” she stared, straight into his eyes, “Monsters are scary, and you couldn’t scare me, even if you tried,”

 

“I am trying,” He snapped coldly, as though he couldn’t help himself. Shikamaru let out a strange, strangled noise, and Naru looked over. He was glaring at her, beckoning her away from Gaara with his eyes, his jaw set.

 

She turned back to Gaara, and she brushed his hair back again, firmer this time, eyes fixed on his. She’d spoken to the Kyuubi, she’d impaled him on a stone spike. She felt no fear for humans anymore, not even the drunken men outside of bars, who said those words no one should have to hear, when the sky was dark and she was alone. She wasn’t scared of them anymore, and she wasn’t scared of this red haired boy either. “Don’t bother,” she said, before turning away and walking back to Shikamaru.  He looked relieved when she stood next to him, looking at him for her next move. She knew his chakra store was never large, and he’d already used his jutsu today once. She was struck by a small idea, and grasped his hand, focusing her regular, human chakra and pushing it into him. He jolted, and looked at her, surprise in his face, but kept a hold on Gaara. 

Gaara’s eyes were fixed solidly on Naru.

 

She sent a little more chakra into Shikamaru’s body, but, not wanting to overdo it, she dropped his hand. Shikamaru twitched again when she did, like the connection being cut off was an even stranger feeling than it being opened. Naru just kept staring Gaara down.

 

“Are you two going to try to fight me?” He rasped, his voice getting harsher by the second. 

 

“If we have to,” Shikamaru said, even calmer and more unreadable than Gaara.

 

“I’ll kill you both,” He said, “I just told you, it’s my purpose, I live to take the lives of those around me,”

 

“Yeah, I remember, and I live to eat ramen and scream. But I’m not doing either right now, am I?” Naru snapped, rolling her eyes. Shikamaru shot her a glare out of the corner of his eye.

 

“Shut up,” he growled, sweat beading on his forehead. She bit the inside of her cheek. Gaara’s sand started swirling faster, his eyes flicking from Naru to Shikamaru and back again. Shikamaru frowned, and shot his arm out, a move mirrored by Gaara, and pulled her closer to his side, drawing her in like he would somehow protect her- as if he could, the ever whirling tornado of sand threatening them. She frowned, considering pushing away from him, objecting to the motion.

 

“Don’t tell me what to do, Shika-kun,” she hissed, her blood dripping to the ground from her hand. She felt strange, as though something beyond her understanding was happening. She moved to draw away, but Shikamaru tensed, keeping her at his side. Gaara glared, his sand stuttering, Naru narrowed her eyes, ready for a fight, but then...

 

Gai, Lee’s teacher was there, standing between them. And Gaara was gone, through the window. Shikamaru breathed a sigh of relief, but instead of letting her go, he only loosened his grip. She frowned. She wasn’t about to complain, but how come Shikamaru was being so touchy feely? 

 

_ It’s weird for him to even voluntarily be around me for this long, let alone actively try to keep me near him. Why is everyone acting so out of character lately? This test really has us all fucked in the head. Ino must have really been getting on his nerves.  _ He slid his arm up around her shoulders, thanking Gai and steering her out of the room. 

 

“Are you trying to get yourself killed?” He snapped once they were out of earshot. She directed her frown at him, pulling out from under his arm and leaning against the nearest wall, facing him, her eyes fixed on his shadow.

 

“No, but I don’t think that kid would be able to kill me,”

 

“Of course he’d be able to kill you! You just saw what he did to Lee! We’re having this conversation in a hospital instead of a gravesite due to Gai’s intervention, who, by the way, you didn’t even thank before we left,” He said, his normal drawl tightening into a tense growl as he bristled, pointing back down the hall they’d just came from and stepping closer.

 

“Since when do you care who I thank? Or what I do in general?” she growled back, her eyes flitting up to his face and back to his feet. He edged closer again, bringing them face to face. She’d only have milliseconds to react if he pulled something. 

 

“You should be glad that  _ someone _ is looking out for you,”

 

“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

 

“What? Was Sasuke here? Was Sakura? Who was watching your back today? You’re always alone, running around in the dark, leaving yourself open to be attacked by any-fucking-body. Do your teammates not care what happens to you? Why aren’t you all training together?”

 

“I have a private tutor, and I don’t need anyone watching my back,”

 

“Obviously you do or you would have gotten killed by that kid in there,”

 

“You don’t know that,”

 

“I do,” He glared down at her, his hands coming to rest, palms up, on her shoulders, “I do know you’d die if you faced him,”

 

“You have absolutely no concept of how strong I am, Shikamaru-kun! You don’t know shit about what could or couldn’t kill me!” Naru snarled, pushing off the wall and getting closer to his face, fury thrumming in her chest.

 

“Don’t call me that,” He said, voice low, hands snapping up from her shoulders and clenching in frustration around her ears. She glared up at him, ignoring the fists blocking her sight lines either side of her face. She couldn’t look anywhere but at him.

 

“What the hell am I supposed to call you, Shikamaru-Kun? Grumpy? Shika? What?”

 

“I don’t know, just don’t fucking say my name like that, you’re so…” He sighed, putting his hands in his pockets and rolling his eyes, looking away, “This is such a drag,”

 

“I’m so what?” She spat, her anger peaking now that he had reverted to his usual careless attitude.  _ You can’t just check out mid argument, damn it! _

 

“Ugh, whatever, you’re too much work, I can’t deal, and I should be getting back to Choji,” he turned away, moving back toward the short term care ward.

 

“I swear to god I’m gonna…” She sprinted at him and tackled him from behind, sending them both slamming to the ground, and turned him to face her, balling her fists up in his vest and kneeling over him, shaking him.

 

“You might get away with that kinda shit when you’re with Ino, but you can’t just leave me hanging mid goddamn conversation you lazy motherfucker,” She leaned forward, the tip of her nose close to touching his, and bared her teeth. “now, what am I, exactly? I wanna hear it,”

 

Shikamaru glared up at her, before tilting his head back and slapping the ground with his palms, groaning in frustration. “You’re so… Annoying. You’re like the annoying little sibling I never wanted, and you just run around like you’re immune to physical injuries and shit. You constantly put yourself in danger as though you’re actively trying to get killed, and no one is ever watching your back, and you don’t  _ care _ . You don’t  _ care _ how people treat you and you don’t  _ care _ if someone is in your corner or not, you’ll just always do shit the same way. You don’t adjust to situations,” He was building up a head of steam, pushing her back slightly, sitting up a little, “You’re constantly letting Sasuke kick you around, running around after him, trying to prove yourself, like you can’t get enough of him, you’re as bad as Ino and Sakura and all the other fangirls in his damn stupid  _ harem _ , except, you’re worse, cause you have no clue what you’re doing! You’re completely unaware of any of it! Meanwhile there’s guys lined up around the damn block trying to get your attention and you only have eyes for the one guy who cares about nothing but himself! He doesn’t like you Naru! If he did he’d have been the one keeping you safe today! But it was me!”

 

“Sasuke-Kun cares about lots of things, and you don’t know anything about it!” Naru snapped, turning bright red, “I’m not a part of his  _ harem _ and I’m not trying to get him to  _ like  _ me, I’m not trying to go on  _ dates  _ or get boy’s  _ attention _ , I’m trying to get stronger, and I’m pitching myself up against someone stronger than me. Same reason I’m gonna fight you, Shikamaru-kun, I wanna see how good I am against someone who’s better than me,” She pulled his jacket up, hard, hearing seams rip, “I don’t need people to keep me safe, I’ve never had babysitters and I never will, and I don’t like Sasuke-kun,” she dropped his jacket and heaved him to his feet. Shikamaru looked angrier than she’d ever seen him. He jammed a thumb into his chest.

 

“ _ I _ kept you safe today,  _ I _ had your back. Cause when you love someone you look out for them. Think about who you’re looking out for, and if they’re looking out for you too,” Shikamaru turned away, fury making his movements jerky, “And why they do it. Cause people who only do things for you because they expect things from you are the people who’ll leave you quickest when the tables turn,”

 

“You’re wrong!” She called, her hands shaking. He didn’t respond, he just took a turn and moved out of sight. Her heart was beating like she’d been in a fight.

 

_ I don’t know, If I was, I didn’t win, that’s for sure. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Holy Roller, Emily Wolfe
> 
> Shikamaru: Let Me Go, Cake
> 
> Gaara: Song 2, Blur


	42. Shikamaru, And The Slip Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shikamaru just can't relax and take a load off without this blonde idiot messing his life up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> #based on a true story

Shikamaru was laying on the grassy head of a cliff just outside of the village, a toothpick between his teeth as he watched the clouds roll by. He could hear the waterfall at the end of the hill raging, and could feel himself start to drift off. Naru’s face kept popping into his head, however, making it impossible to really relax. 

 

_ You’re wrong! _

 

Shikamaru grit his teeth, snapping the toothpick. He spat it out, pullign a splinter off his tongue. He wasn’t ever wrong. She was the one with her head up her ass. How could she wanna hang out with a guy like that Sasuke? What was so great about him? He didn’t understand girls. They had so much _energy_ for completely asinine shit. Their commitment to being made to feel like crap was astounding. _I mean, she really likes Sasuke more than Kiba? Was she dumb or something?_ _Well,_ He raised his eyebrows, his eyes fixing on a fast moving cloud shaped like a broken hand, _She wasn’t smart. That was for sure._

 

He didn’t understand Kiba’s fascination with her, either. She was just loud and annoying and so much  _ work _ to be around. He frankly didn’t know why he didn’t just avoid her himself. But whenever she came by, looking anxious, with a bruise on her cheekbone or a grin on her face as she laughed at people around her, he couldn’t hold back the strange urge to make sure she didn’t get hurt. She was like his little sister or something. Annoying and overwhelming and utterly exhausting, but the way she looked when she thought no one was paying attention, (which was shockingly frequent considering how often she was the center of attention), made him want to stab anyone to cause her harm.

 

_ Sasuke. _ How on earth was he so comfortable hitting her? Even just holding her still, Shikamaru felt like a complete and utter piece of garbage. The way she’d looked earlier, glancing at the doorway to the room where Ino stood. He’d tried to reassure her, to let her know Ino was an idiot and generally harmless, but she’d looked like a deer in headlights. 

 

And how could Sasuke just leave her alone all the time? He watched out for Ino constantly, he only got time to himself while she was working or with friends, what with all the sand and sound nin around, creeping up the joint, and he didn’t even like Ino. Maybe Sasuke hated Naru. Maybe he should try to set up a team transfer or something. Maybe he would actually put in some effort for once. 

 

He knew he wouldn’t. He put his hands behind his head and listened to the waterfall, smiling to himself. Once Ino got off work, they were all going to go train with Asuma, and then they’d get something to eat. He liked Asuma. He wished he could be more like him, the way he could protect people.

 

He knew he wouldn’t do that either. He knew, at the end of the day, all he’d do is complain, and watch the clouds. It wasn’t that he couldn’t do something else, or that he didn't want to be different, it was just that there was a heavy weight in his torso that made it so damn hard to find the energy to move. A lack of motivation. He just wanted to be a normal guy, an average, every day run of the mill shinobi. Stuck on guard duty, dozing off at the front gates, then at the end of the day going home to an average looking wife and a normal, average kid and not having to deal with all these... feelings, and problems. 

 

A shout from the bottom of the waterfall made him jump. He sat up, and there was another shout. It sounded like a man. He stood, edging toward the source of the noise. If some old dude was having a heart attack, it wasn’t going to be on him that the guy died.

 

But it wasn’t some old man clutching his chest, it was Naru, breaking out of her sexy jutsu and cracking up, sprinting away from a massive, white haired old man, who was chasing her with a large stick, threatening to beat her black and blue. Naru was laughing her head off, sprinting across the pool and up the side of the canyon, then back down again, leaping over rocks in the water’s surface and sliding across it, like she had on skates. The old guy threw the stick at her, but she dodged it and jumped away, summoning…

 

A small toad? The toad hopped up onto her head, and they both pointed at the old guy and laughed together as he started flinging something so small Shikamaru couldn’t make it out at her. She flipped and slid and dodged around, avoiding the little weapon with ease, laughing at him and taunting him, at one point performing her sexy jutsu again and cartwheeling away, toad clinging to her pigtails and crying with laughter. The old man just flopped down on his back after a while. 

 

Shikamaru smiled, sitting cross legged with his chin in his hand, watching the scene play out. The thing was, more than anything, he just wanted Naru to keep laughing. He’d never laughed like that in his whole life. When she got like that, like she'd never heard a joke before and everything was the best thing she'd ever heard, she lit up the room, and just  _ encountering _ it made his whole day brighter. 

 

An icy chill slid into Shikamaru's stomach.  _ Oh no… _

 

_ Did I tell her I loved her earlier?  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (did you guys catch it?)
> 
> Shikamaru: Steady As She Goes, The Raconteurs
> 
> Naru: You're So Vain, Carly Simon


	43. Naru, And The Punch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru talks to a fox like a fucking disney princess and punches a boy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> most of the boys in Naru's life need a good punch honestly

_ Naru sat on the couch, peeling an orange. She looked up at the kyuubi, who was looking bored. _

 

**_“THE NARA WAS RIGHT.”_ **

 

_ “Right about what?” She snapped, pulling a chunk of orange rind away and disappearing it. The kyuubi blinked, as though he was shocked her mind wasn’t in the same place hers was. _

 

_ “ _ **_THE UCHIHA BOY. STAY AWAY FROM HIM, KIT_ ** _ ,” _

 

_ “Even if I wanted to I couldn’t, he’s on my team,” _

 

_ “ _ **_HE IS FAR TOO MUCH LIKE MADARA, AND HUNGRY FOR POWER,”_ ** _ the kyuubi’s tails thrashed, and Naru chewed the first slice carefully. _

 

_ “Oh that makes sense. Cause I know who that is and care a lot,” _

 

_ “ _ **_KIT, BEWARE OF ANY MAN WHO DESIRES NOTHING MORE THAN REVENGE,”_ **

 

_ “Honestly it feels like I should just beware of any man at all,” She said, sending half the orange to the kyuubi. He regarded it as though it was funny, and swallowed it like a pill. This had, as the fox had predicted, become a nightly occurrence. Naru now spent only a little less than half her time with the fox, and she could already tell it had been a bridge to increases in dexterity and skill. The drawback was, of course, having to spend time with the strongest demonic piece of shit on four legs the world had ever known. She’d be okay, though. Kurama wasn’t harmful in his cage and seemed to be glad of the company... and the lack of sewer water. Frankly, the fact that her mind was a sewer to start with was a little offensive. _

 

_ “ _ **_TRUE, HARBOUR YOUR HATRED FOR HUMANITY AND FREE ME, WE WILL-“_ **

 

_ “Shut up,” she sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, “That’s not what I meant. I meant that apparently Sasuke is so focused on training he hasn’t bothered to do much as speak to me since he left the hospital in the middle of the night, without saying goodbye. I mean, what? You can’t get away once in a whole month? Not even for a minute after grocery shopping? Shit. Then Kiba is busy helping Shino, our schedules only match up enough to say hi once every few days, let alone hang out, and Shikamaru… He thinks I’m some kind of vapid boy magnet. Maybe it’s cause he hangs around Ino so much. I don’t care about boys,” _

 

_ “ _ **_YOU SOUND LIKE YOU CARE ABOUT BOYS A LOT,”_ **

 

**_“_ ** _ Shut up, no, they’re just my friends, I don’t wanna be...  _ with _ them,” _

 

**_“I THINK YOU SHOULD REMAIN ALONE FOR ALL TIME AND SEEK IMMORTALITY,”_ ** _ The fox said, flexing its paws. Naru rolled her eyes. _

 

_ “So that you can live forever as an extension of me?” _

 

_ “ _ **_WHEN YOU DIE I COULD BE FREED, OR I COULD ALSO PERISH. I DO NOT FEAR DEATH, KIT, BUT IT IS NOT SOMETHING I WISH TO ACCELERATE,”_ **

 

_ Naru looked up at him. It was strange. He was holding back. Everyone held back. No one wanted to reveal everything they knew. Not to her, anyway.  _

 

_ “Today’s the exam,”  _

 

_ “ _ **_WHO DO YOU FIGHT, KIT?”_ ** _the Kyuubi laughed, tails swishing._

 

_ “Neji Hyuuga,” _

 

_ “ _ **_WHY DO YOU FIGHT, KIT?”_ ** _ He drew closer to the window, and grinned. She stood, and walked toward him. She grinned back. _

 

_ “To win,” _

 

**_“GO AND WIN THEN,”_ ** _  He boomed. _

 

Naru snapped awake, the shadow of Kurama’s face burned into her vision, reflecting onto the white ceiling stretched above her bed. It was today. Her fight with Neji was today. She looked at her elbow. The bruise was healed. Of course it was healed. Of course it was. But it was the only one she’d gotten the day before. She’d only been hit once.

 

It only takes once. And she had to beat him.

 

She went to the arena, running a little late, as usual. She sprinted through the gates and joined the back line up of genin left to take the test. Sasuke wasn’t there, neither was that sound freak. She frowned. Where was Sasuke?

 

Shikamaru shot her a look out of the corner of his eye, but she ignored it. There was talking, and then it was time for her match. It was all going by so quickly. All she could feel was the electric hum in her chest that meant she was ready. 

 

It stilled when she saw him however, stepping out, facing her. His pale eyes were fixed on hers, she heard nothing but the howling wind and somehow his quiet intake of breath. She held her fist out, as she’d done before. His expression remained unaltered.

 

“You can never change. You are a failure. You will never be anything but a child, scared and alone, lost in the howling woods,” he said, straight backed, proud.

 

“Yeah, sounds like what you were saying at the tower. Do me a favour and let’s get this poppin’,” she trod sideways, circling him, eyes locked on his face. He didn’t need to turn to see her, she knew, but he did anyway, he turned as she walked along, slowly, assessing him. She knew he had no weak points, he could see her every move. She tossed a kunai, and he dodged it, easily. She smiled. “I already told you that you were wrong then, didn’t I? No need to keep spouting the same old story,”

 

“I’m not wrong,” He said. She hurled a few more knives. She could try to wear him down, but that wouldn’t be much of a show. She wasn’t only trying to win, she was trying to show off her skills.  _ So where to start? _

 

At the beginning. 

 

“Shadow Clone Jutsu!” She split into five.  _ A small number, just for now. _

 

She sent them out at once, just to see how he tracked her. Just because he can  _ see _ everything, doesn’t mean he can _pay attention_ to everything. She could do hand to hand, she was definitely a better close range fighter than a long range one, but so was he. His specialty was that gentle fist- palm hand thing. And she hadn’t seen any long range at all from him. What she needed was a good, solid plan. He knocked two clones out at once, then glared straight at her. 

 

_ So, you know. That wasn’t enough, he’s still tracking me.  _ She drew closer, split into more clones, watched him move. He was good, he made it look like dancing, even his fingertips moved through the air because he  _ wanted _ them there. Perfect control. Perfect discipline. He was flawless. 

 

“If trying to get better is so pointless, and you can’t ever change your fate, then why do you train so hard?” She laughed, or rather, her clone did. She slipped closer, dodging a strike as he redirected his eyes to point toward the clone. 

 

“My fate and yours are two very different things,” he snapped, swinging at and dissipating another clone, “I was destined to become a strong shinobi, from the beginning. A Guard with no other choice. You will never be strong. Do you want to know what you will be some day?”

 

“Enlighten me,” The clone laughed, whipping a kunai at him that she had snatched up from the ground. Neji dodged it, flipping back, landing gracefully, flipping his ponytail over his head, truly looking like a vision as he lowered himself into a defensive pose. Some twisted asshole's idea of an angel. Naru and two of her clones drew out, fanning away from him, while the clone she was using as a distraction tilted her head, grinning. Neji smirked.

 

“You’ll play at being a Kunoichi for a few years, then meet some guy, fall in love, and spend the rest of your days playing the housewife, having children and cleaning up after them as they go off to the academy and you will stay home and cook for your husband and children, waiting until they come home. You'll clean and shop and make packed lunches while your husband goes off on missions. You’ll wind up barefoot in the house, pregnant and cleaning,”

 

The main clone laughed, walking forward, arms out to her sides, leaving herself wide open. “I like the image, but sadly it’s a little off. I don’t know all that about kids, and I’ve told ya, I’m gonna be hokage one day,”

 

Neji smiled. 

 

“You’re not. Particularly because…” He whipped to face the real Naru, charging forward fast enough she couldn't back out in time, “You’re just a clone,”

 

_ Damn, he got me close enough for hand to hand. _ She thought, Dropping low and sweeping her leg under him,  _ and all I can do is dodge here. What now? _

 

She’d have to take a hit and move back, regroup. How’d she do it though, if he shuts down the chakra network how could she possibly regroup? It’d take much longer than she had to get herself running at full power. And the slip up had to be convincing on top of everything else.  _ Damn it all. _

 

She lingered too long, and had to block a strong hit as he went for her neck, a kill move. He seemed surprised that she’d been able to stop it. She used her struck arm to push him away the same time she pulled back. Gasping, letting him think he’d got her worse than he had, letting him take it in stride. She’d lost her chakra in her left arm, but even without chakra, her punches were solid. Her right was slightly dominant anyway. She bit the inside of her cheek to stop from smiling as something else clicked into place. 

 

_ Sure, I can’t use my own chakra in this arm, but I’ve got two kinds. Thanks Kurama, you asshole.  _ She couldn’t risk playing her ace now though, not with those eyes on her, but a few more little moves and she’d be set. “Just wondering, what makes you so determined about this whole fate and destiny thing? While you got me here,” She smiled, using her right hand to flap her left uselessly. Neji straightened, eyes narrowing, mouth twisting into a smirk.

 

“Look around you, are you really this stupid? Look up on that mountain. Do you think a single one of those men were ever dead last like you? Do you think a simple little girl like you could ever count yourself amongst them? No, the evidence of my thinking surrounds us, over and over again,” he adjusted his headband, "Just look around yourself,"

 

She smiled again, looking around. “Now? Well, why don't you?” She laughed, “I guess you already are. You and I are both here, both on equal ground. I made it here faster than you did too, if you really care about that kinda thing. You have a year on me, after all,”

 

A dark look passed over his face. He looked like he was getting ready to do something, but she smiled and sent in her clones, quadrupling them. she slipped in, recovering her hand, knowing that’s what he’d be looking for. She made a clone hang back, look injured, stay just barely out of range.  _ Make it convincing Naru.  _

 

“If you’re right,” He snapped, vanishing a handful of her clones and pausing, looking around, fixing on the decoy, “Then show me. Prove it,”

 

_ Too easy.  _ “Careful,” One of the clones laughed, just before he hit her, “What you-“ another strike. Then the decoy was behind him, and dodged a hit, charging in and grabbing his ankle, yanking upward, throwing him into the air, and then the real Naru was in the air behind him, grabbing him around the waist, pulling him into her, “wish for!”

 

But he spun in her grip, and smirked again, his face inches from hers as he drew his hand back. She gasped, staring up at him. “What? You don’t think I know this move by now? You need to be more original, Naru,”

 

He started hitting her... He plucked away at her every chakra point. He drilled her into the ground, until she was flat on her back, bleeding from the mouth, her own chakra shut down as he stood over her, smirking.

 

“How’s it feel? To be laid out and facing your own inadequacy?” He taunted. She coughed some blood up and smiled, shaking with the pain of it all. She saw Rock, and Hinata, standing in her mind’s eye, facing enemies they couldn’t defeat. She’d sworn. Naru had sworn. It was time to pull her ace.

 

“Hey, My Own Inadequacy, I’m Naru,” she slid out from under him, clambering to her feet. Calling in the Kyuubi’s chakra. She felt it fill her. Felt it strengthening her every tendon, pouring power into every cell. Then she was overflowing with it, smiling, fists grasped at either side as she planted her feet more firmly into the ground. Neji looked shocked, unable to comprehend what was before him. She moved, whipping knives at him. But he just span on the spot, deflecting all of them. She smiled. Even with her this fast, knives wouldn’t work. He really was good. She moved in, knife in her hand, and he clashed with her, anticipating her moves as they came. “You’re a hand to hand kinda guy, right?” She laughed, pulling another knife and watching him match her, blocking her every swing.

 

“I don’t know what made you so nihilistic, but whatever did it, when I’m hokage, I’ll change it,” She snapped, smiling, "I promise!" She put chakra into her next swing, feeling him match her, and when they clashed, they blew each other back with the force of it.

 

She split into two quickly, then, once she hit the floor, she tunneled underground. She could tell his position using the sound of his feet, and if her clone lay over the hole where she dug...

 

She could hear him burst out of his own crater, and start walking toward her newest decoy.

 

“Stupid little girl,” He spat, staggering, “In the end, you really were alone,”

 

She burst upward, coming face to face with him, beaming. He looked surprised again. She wondered if his face was gonna stick like that. “Nah, look! I’m with you!” she laughed, punching him in the face with as much force as she could without blowing his head right off. He fell back, out cold. The proctor approached, whatever the hell was between his teeth twitching as he moved it to the side of his mouth so he could speak.

 

"The winner is Naruto Uzumaki!" He declared, pointing to her. 

 

She heard the crowd go nuts, screaming and booing and clapping. But she couldn’t bring herself to care. She just looked down at Neji, his eyes closed, his lips slightly parted, a bruise already blooming on his cheekbone. She could feel the proctor clap her on the shoulder, tell her to hit the shower. But… She didn’t wanna leave him. 

 

She stooped down and picked him up, carrying him out of the arena and handing him to the medical nin when they sprinted into the hall. He seemed so much smaller, unconscious in her arms. He was a lot taller than her, a boy, a year older than her at that. But without that smirk on his face and the insults on his tongue. He looked… sad.

 

He looked lonely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kurama: Waiting for the Thunder, Blakcberry Smoke
> 
> Naru: Someone Tell The Boys, Samia
> 
> Neji: Reckless Tongue, Airways


	44. Shikamaru, And The Girl He Didn't Mean To Want

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shikamaru has a minor existential crisis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is so much that wants to happen but I'd need seven of these to have them all

Shikamaru met her in the hallway, a medical nin was checking her bruises, making her take her jacket off. It was tattered anyway, from when she had been slammed into the ground, but she was arguing. Shikamaru had his hands in his pockets. She bit her top lip when she saw him and turned away her face, finally letting the MedNin take her jacket off. He drew closer, but stopped a little more than an arms length away.

 

“Hey, good fight. I didn’t know you could override your chakra network like that. And uh…” He paused, his words stabbing his throat, “I thought that clone on the ground to hide the hole you dug was some… some quick fuckin' thinking,” He sighed. She turned back, and his heart almost stopped when he saw tears in her eyes. She was grinning.

 

“Hah! You think so? I was tryna plan... Could you tell?”

 

He paused, staring at her scuffed up and bloody face, tears spilling over her eyes, down her cheeks, parting the dirt there. Shikamaru forced himself to smile back. “Yeah, couldn’t stop sneezing from all the dust you had to shake off that brain of yours,”

 

She let out a shaky laugh. The Medical Nin gave her a thumbs up and left. She thanked him and turned back to Shikamaru, pulling her jacket back on. “Fuck you, Grumpy,”

 

“You… you can use my name… if you want to,” He said, pausing awkwardly. “Sorry bout... the harem thing. I shouldn't have said that,”

 

“Your name  _is_ grumpy,” she laughed, throwing her arm around his shoulders, and dragging him down to her level, pulling him up the hall. He laughed too.

 

“Who’s next? Sasuke-kun, right?”

 

“ _ Sasuke-Kun _ isn’t here. Didn’t they say he’s disqualified? They said anyone not here when the time came would be,”

 

Naru let go of him and wiped her face on her sleeve, shaking her head. “Nah, like it or not, they aren’t gonna cancel that fight. I overheard some guards betting on it. We’re all just warmups, he’s the main event,”

 

“Oh, he’s that good huh?”

 

“You went to school with him too. You know how good he is. Plus he’s an  _ Uchiha _ . Everyone wants to see what’s left,”

 

Shikamaru just hummed in response. He wanted to grab Naru and hug her or give her a noogie or something, but he never did what he wanted to do. “That puppet guy who’s always staring at you, and Shino are next,”

 

“Shino-san? Damn, I wanna see that! Let’s hurry,” she jumped up and down like a little kid and grabbed his hand, dragging him along and grinning. Shikamaru couldn’t tell if she was acting different from before or not. Had he confessed his love and had it go totally unnoticed? really? _What a drag._ _I tell a girl I love her and neither of us even fucking notice. Typical._

 

“Hey look! The match hasn’t started! Looks like the crowd’s gonna riot any second. Hey! Kiba-Chan! Hinata-Chan! Did you save me a spot?” Kiba turned and grinned, but choked on his own spit when he saw Naru running toward him holding Shikamaru’s hand. Shikamaru almost laughed. Yeah, even if he did love Naru or whatever, it was stupid for anyone to think they’d be together. He didn’t have any interest in dating. Or anything really. He’d leave it till he was older.  _ Just add it to the list of things I’m procrastinating. _ But there Kiba was, eyes wide, spluttering and trying to reply to Naru normally, turning red as he smiled at her, eyes popping, shooting glares at him.

 

_ No wonder she didn’t pick up on what I said, she doesn’t pick up on the fact Kiba likes her? Does she live under a rock? A boulder? A mountain? _

 

The proctor stepped out into the ring. “The Uchiha vs Gaara fight has been postponed. The next fight will be Kankuro and Shino Aburame!”

 

There were boos, but when they quieted, Kankuro raised his hand. “I’m good, thanks,” He drawled. Everyone stared around, confused, but Shikamaru just kept his eyes on Kankuro. He glanced at Naru, who was staring him down, and winked. 

 

“Why would you leave it this long to drop out?” She asked aloud, looking at her friends. Shikamaru shrugged, pulling her in to his side slightly. He was being obvious, and childish, but he couldn't help but indulge himself. Especially considering she'd never notice.

 

“Performance anxiety?” He said. She and Kiba both snorted, and she grinned at him. An elbow to his ribs, he grinned back, until…

 

“Okay then, Next fight… Shikamaru Nara Vs Temari!”

 

He froze.  _ Well, this sucks.  _ His eyes flicked to Hinata, who looked like she was in pain, clutching her chest.  _ I could die if I do this. I should say something to Naru. Maybe clarify or something. Tell her I love her as a friend? Tell her I regular old love her as... a person who you love? Tell her I’m proud of her... actually having a brain? _

 

She was looking at him expectantly. People were booing. He looked at her, memorising her face, expectant, focused. 

 

“Naru... I-”

 

“You’ll do awesome, get down there already!” She pushed him off the railing, and he fell, thudding to the ground. She leaned over, grinning and giving him the thumbs up. “I believe in you, Shikamaru-Kun!”

 

_ There is NO reason everybody should be in love with this girl. She’s the worst. Why is she collecting guys like Sasuke collects girls?  _

 

_ Oh gods... is this a reverse harem? Did I fall into a reverse harem by accident? Nah, I gotta stop this. Stop myself from fixating on Naru. _

 

He looked up at the sky, watching the clouds roll over the arena, frowning.  _ I never wanted this.  _

 

_ I just wanted normality. I just wanted average. Instead I fell into every trap, every trick. I wound up a shinobi and I wound up here. _

 

He got up, frowning at the girl across from him. She was tall, and had a mean look in her eyes. Blonde, but not like Naru, less yellow, more… normal? She was holding that fan. He’d seen what she could do, and it didn’t make him nervous. 

 

He just needed a plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shikamaru: Guitar, Cake
> 
> Naru: Boys & Blondes, Dear Rouge


	45. Naru, And The Blood, And The Hand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru sees something she shouldn't and Gaara pays her back in kind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gaara here is still just trying to scare her

Naru grinned as Shikamaru did his thing. _ That’s my buddy!  _ She felt pride for him swell in her chest…

 

And then he gave up. Out of chakra. If she hadn’t had her system shut down she would have given him some of hers, but the kyuubi was only getting her rewired now, at the end of his fight. In a real battle though, with more than just him, he would have won easily.  _ Shikamaru just isn’t a solo kinda guy. _

 

She walked down to meet him, like he had done her, and when they met, she hugged him. “Good fight,” she laughed. He held her quickly and let go, and then she stepped back and grabbed his vest, yanking him down onto her level. 

 

“But if you ever tap out that quick while I’m fighting you, or fighting with you, I’ll shave your fucking head while you sleep, geddit? Lazy-fishnet shadow-possession motherfucker,”

 

He smirked, “I’m not ever gonna fight you Naru, that’s why I tapped out. The odds were getting too steep and I swore I wouldn’t,”

 

“Shikamaru-kun I’m gonna kick your fuckin ass I swear to god,” She snapped, pulling him in and head butting him gently. He flinched and rubbed his forehead, which had turned a little red.

 

“Ouch, unwarranted,” 

 

“Very warranted, now let’s go see if Sasuke-kun is here,” 

 

“Oh yeah let’s see what’s going on with  _ Sasuke-Kun,”  _ Shikamaru sneered as they walked up, trudging up the staircases. Naru snapped back, laughing, and they chatted normally for a little while.

 

And then Naru felt that damn magnet click again, and yanked Shikamaru behind her. Gaara was being hassled by a couple scrubs, telling him to throw the fight or there’d be trouble. Naru started to walk forward, wanting to back the boy up, but then…

 

Sand shot out, wrapping itself around the screaming goons, and he crushed them. He just killed them. He didn’t say anything first, he didn’t explain. (So many people  _ explain) _ . No. Gaara just killed them. It was the first thing he did. and then the sand went back to his gourd, and he walked out of the tunnel. He stopped in front of Naru, and said nothing. He just looked at her face, then he pulled his thumb to his mouth and licked it. He moved closer still, reaching out, wiping away a little bit of blood she’d missed on her chin. Then he passed them both, not saying a word, but the message was clear.

 

_ That was for you. I wanted you to see. _

 

Shikamaru grabbed her, pulling her in closer as they watched Gaara walk away. Naru had seen people die. It wasn’t the death that bothered her. It was the ease. It’s was so easy for him to do it. 

 

There was nothing easier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Heaven's Got A Back Door Too, Dead Sara
> 
> Shikamaru: Teenagers, My Chemical Romance
> 
> Gaara: One For The Road, Arctic Monkeys (they return lmao)


	46. Gaara, And The Distraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaara has trouble focusing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was really hard idk why sorry if it totally sux

She was watching now, he knew. He knew she wouldn’t let herself miss the fight with the Uchiha boy. What, with the way she looked at him like she wanted to clamber into his shirt with him. So, Gaara's plan had changed a little. It wasn’t that drastic, a small change. He wanted her alive a little longer than before. He wanted to kill all her friends, the Uchiha, the fishnet boy who always had his hands on her, the pink haired brat and Rock Lee. He would kill them and then he’d take her aside, show her her burning village, and he’d ask her.  _ Am I trying hard enough yet? _ And she’d cry and beg and it’d feel good to eliminate her. But first, he needed to scare her. He needed to make sure that she was afraid of him. There could be no living person immune to him.

 

“Gaara, Sasuke Uchiha isn’t here yet, he’s going to be disqualified soon if he doesn’t show up,”

 

Gaara stared up at his  _ mentor _ , and sneered. “He’ll make it,” he walked out onto the field, “I guarantee it,”

 

It took a little bit of fussing, and the girl even came down onto the field, looking panicked and arguing with the proctor. Gaara just stood there, watching her. He couldn’t help but remember how she looked, biting her hand, blood running down her chin. He’d almost lost control again when she’d been laid out, coughing up blood while that boy with the long hair taunted her. But she looked fine now, wincing every now and again, but she obviously felt well enough to shout. It was all pointless anyway. He’d be here. The Uchiha had to come by, and show off. He didn’t mind waiting, not when the prize he was looking for was so damn good. 

 

He pushed it right to the very last moment, that Uchiha, arriving in the arena in a whirl of leaves and wind, back to back with his teacher. Gaara wondered how they’d decided on the pose they’d stick with. It was likely the reason they were late. Gaara smirked. _Enjoy your last moments, you snot nosed brat._ Naru said something to him, along the lines of ‘make sure you win, I want to fight you more than anyone,'

 

He said something cocky back to her, and gestured to her clothes. She looked angry, (that unique kind of anger that belonged only to her, where she was still smiling and laughing) and made to snap back, but his teacher grabbed her and dragged her away. Maybe Gaara would kill the teacher too, just for the hell of it. 

 

And then they were face to face. He and the Uchiha, and it was all going to plan. But there was a problem. He couldn’t focus, he couldn’t take his mind off her stupid face, covered in blood, the way she dropped a knife in the vase at Lee’s tableside and how she smiled when she argued. Uchiha was fast, like Lee, and his sand was having trouble catching up. He couldn’t focus. She was laughing, in his head, while the boy in fishnets threw his arm around her shoulders and ruffled her hair. Had he seen that? _Was that a memory?_

 

He locked himself down, building his final defense. She was still in his head, even as he sat in the dark, untouchable. Her lips slightly parted, eyes fixed on his face, brushing his hair back, away from his face. _Like a friend, or a lover._ Her calloused fingers had scratched gently at his skin, so much paler than her own. She’d spoken to him softly. Calmly. _Until that damned fishnet wearing leaf nin pulled her away from him._ Had he wanted her to stay there? Had he wanted her to keep talking?

 

He’d wiped the blood from her chin, and wished he could have fed mother something sweet, like that, instead of the blood of those horrid goons. She would have loved her blood, he was sure. On top of the attraction of blood, his colour smeared across her face, it had been a type of psychological warfare.  _ A game for two, since she liked messing with people’s heads so much _ . But he’d liked the way she stood in front of him. She hadn’t drawn back, or flinched. She was stupid, not brave, or were they the same thing? 

 

Was she brave? There wasn’t any fear at all when she looked up at him. She was barely shorter than him, but in his memory she was looking up, maybe she was focused on the kanji scarred into his head. He touched it, mirroring the motion she’d performed in the hospital. Feeling the ruts and raised parts of the skin. 

 

She must be foolish to even think of touching him, let alone actually doing it. He’d show her. He’d kill her whole village just to show her. 

Suddenly, a glowing fist filled with lightning punched through the sand barrier and hit his shoulder. For a moment, he just stared at it, until the light dissipated and he was just watching the Uchiha’s arm struggling to pull out, but then…

 

What was that? It felt like heat, but not quite. Searing, like the hot desert sun, made focused. He let out a blood curdling screech. He put a hand to the place where he’d been struck and drew it away.

 

“BLOOD! I’M BLEEDING! I’M BLEEDING!” He screamed, feeling Shukaku take half his body and throw the Uchiha boy back. He heard a bomb go off, and his defences fell. He felt himself get picked up by… someone, and he slipped out of consciousness. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gaara: Underdog, You Me At Six
> 
> Naru: Iodine, Icon For Hire
> 
> Sasuke: Bite My Tongue, You Me At Six
> 
> (maybe, perhaps, i might be an emo fuck)


	47. Naru, and the suspicious change in attitude

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru and the gang get running.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can you hear shikamaru's soul dying in the distance?

Naru awoke to Sakura’s hand on her shoulder and a battle raging in full swing overhead. But she didn’t understand, what had happened? The last thing she’d heard was Gaara, screaming. 

 

“We have to go after Sasuke-kun! Get up!” She snapped. There was a pug sitting next to her, and Naru frowned at him.

 

“Did Kiba get a new dog?”

 

“No, I’m Kakashi’s,” The dog replied, in a low, manly voice. Naru’s eyebrows shot up. 

 

“Oh, okay, well, it’s nice to meet you, I’m Naru,”

 

"Pakkun," The dog replied. Naru Nodded, holding out her hand and shaking his paw. 

 

She looked back at Sakura, “Where’s Sasuke-kun?”

 

“He went after Gaara and his team, they ran, we need to go after them! There’s no time! We need to wake up Shikamaru-san and go!” Sakura said, starting to panic. Naru gripped her friend’s wrist.

 

“Hey! Get a hold on yourself, what do we need to do?” 

 

“Wake Shikamaru-san! I Just said th-”

 

“Then what are you waiting for?” She snapped, ducking a flying shuriken and dragging Sakura forward, to where Shikamaru lay. Sakura kneeled by him, laying her hand on him.

 

“Release!” 

 

Shikamaru just lay there. Naru squinted, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a kunai. “I warned you if you ever tapped out on me like that then I’d shave your head you-”

 

“Okay!” Shikamaru shot up, raising his hands and glaring at the two girls, “Fine! I’m up, I’m up,”

 

“Shikamaru-san! Were you faking?” Sakura snapped, thumping him over the head. Shikamaru flinched and squinted at her.

 

“So what? I didn’t wanna get dragged into all this,” he growled. He looked around.

 

“Well, consider yourself dragged, lets go,” Naru snapped, making toward the massive hole Gai had knocked in the wall. Shikamaru gripped her wrist.

 

“I don’t want you mixed up in this either,” He pulled her back, looking at Sakura, “Sakura and I can handle this by ourselves. Right Sakura?”

 

“No, we definitely can’t. Naru is our close combat fighter, neither of us are particularly good hand to hand. A normal squad is four nin. We need Naru,”

 

Shikamaru groaned, rubbing his eyes and then glaring up at Naru. “You’re a pain in my ass, you know that?”

 

“It’s been said before, now let’s get this poppin’, I don’t feel like playing catch up with my rival the whole time and missing all the fun,” she jumped out of the gaping hole in the wall, quickly followed by Sakura and the weird talking pug, Pakkun. She could just hear Shikamaru grumbling, a few branches back.

 

“Sasuke… it’s always that freakin kid, what a drag,” He sighed, catching up with them quickly.

 

She smiled to herself as they raced through the forest, Pakkun calling out for them to hurry, snapping directions at them. Naru picked up her pace, forcing the other three to accelerate too. After a little while running, Pakkun sniffed the air loudly and turned his head to Sakura. “We’ve picked up a group of sound nin, They’re gaining,”

 

“Okay, so what’s the plan?”

 

“Well, we’ll have to shake them,” Shikamaru said, putting on a burst of speed so that he was running next to Naru. She looked over at him.

 

“How do we do that?” She asked, almost excited to hear his plan. He furrowed his brow and looked ahead.

 

“Let me think, one minute,” 

 

“We don’t have a minute. Anyway, there’s a fight ahead of us. Sasuke was there, but he’s moving now. It smells like two people are hanging behind and Sasuke and the other two are going on ahead. We’ll have to go around,” Pakkun barked, sniffing the air loudly between words.

 

“No time! We’ll just have to go through!” Naru barked, clenching her fists and kicking off a branch particularly hard. It broke underfoot. Shikamaru groaned. 

 

“Naru, it’s probably a trap, we’ll go around. Might even shake this tail while we’re at it,”

 

“It’ll take too long! I gotta get to him!” She felt panic rising in her chest. Shikamaru shifted closer. 

 

“Calm down, he’ll be fine, he’s a tough guy,”

 

Naru looked up at Shikamaru, studying his angular features, his hair pulled away from his face and his hooded eyes, sharp... when he needed them to be. She pursed her lips. “Don't tell me to calm down. I owe him for the land of waves. I always will,” She looked away from Shikamaru,  _ I owe him for everything else too. _

 

“I’ll get you there in time, don’t worry,” he said, reaching out and squeezing her shoulder reassuringly. She forced herself to smile at him.

 

“Stop!” Pakkun called, and they all froze, Sakura only had one foot in the ground.

 

“What? Is it a trap?” Naru asked, looking out the corner of her eye at the dog. 

 

“No, but if we backtrack and go through the grove over there without moss then we’ll look like we just disappeared, and we might just lose our tail- with any luck, that is,”

 

“We don’t have time for this! We have to get to him,”

 

“Naru, I promised I’d get you there, didn’t I?” Shikamaru countered, looking straight into her face as they began back-stepping. Naru frowned.

 

“Yeah, but-“

 

“Just trust me,” He said, squeezing her hand and pulling her gently back with him. She nodded and followed.

 

“Uh, yeah and us, we’re the brains, you’re the brawn, remember?” Sakura snapped, obviously annoyed at the lack of attention being paid to her. Naru smiled. 

 

_ She’s used to me focusing on her. She never even knew I had that crush… Probably for the best. _ “Don’t worry, don’t worry, the braining is all on you guys. Just get me there in time to hit someone,” She squeezed Shikamaru’s hand and dropped it, looking down at her feet as she moved carefully backward.

 

“Seriously, don’t worry, I might not shout about it as much as you, but I always keep my word too,” Shikamaru whispered, leaning nearer to her under the guise of losing his balance slightly. Naru grit her teeth. 

 

“I know, I know, a shinobi always keeps his wor-”

 

“No,” He hissed, catching her eye, “ _I_ always keep my word,”

 

She pulled her gaze away from his as quickly as she could and glanced at Sakura, who was walking backward more easily than the rest of them and trying her best to burn holes in the back of Naru and Shikamaru’s heads with her eyes. She whipped back around and picked up her pace a little, trying to put a little distance between Shikamaru and herself. 

 

It was futile, because Shikamaru had fairly obviously been slowing himself down to match Naru’s pace. She couldn’t help but feel a little frustrated. She had always liked Shikamaru, considered him a rival almost like Sasuke, but there was no reason that he should be so suddenly determined to be close to her all the time. Hell, before these exams he hardly even paid her mind at all.

 

It was like something had happened, but Naru couldn’t think of anything. Except for the Keima. When she’d threatened to ambush him. Was he trying to keep tabs on her in order to prevent her from ambushing him? Was that why he was hanging so close and constantly trying to ‘keep her safe’?  _ More like keep yourself safe you shady fuck. _

 

She jumped up into the moss-free trees and took off, not waiting for any of her teammates to talk about a plan. She only needed one plan: Get Sasuke, and kick some fuckin ass. (Sasuke's included, if need be.) 

  
She was not going to get drawn into hesitating any further, not by anyone. Not Pakkun, not Sakura, and not even Shikamaru. She wasn’t going to let anyone slow her down any further. It was a straight shot to him now, and she’d finally get to the part  _ she _ was good at. The fight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Bring It On, Deap Vally
> 
> Shikamaru: She'll Come Back To Me, Cake
> 
> Sakura: Brand New Key, The Dollyrots
> 
> (ME: What's Left of the Flag, Flogging Molly, cause writing this chapter fuckkin ended me)


	48. Shikamaru, And The Green Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shikamaru is so lame

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can you hear my soul dying? I think there's an international investigation going on based purely on the deafening sound it made while i wrote this.

Shikamaru would never admit it as long as he lived, but he was, maybe, a _tiny_ bit jealous. Now that he finally knew what the hell was happening with his feelings and this…  _ small... blonde… shouting thing _ … other things were falling into place. His dislike for Sasuke, for instance, made a lot more sense. And the reason why girls annoyed him so much. Or maybe it was that Naru was so different from other girls that made her so… tolerable.  _ Like a friend, but a girl. A girl-friend. Is that where that word came from? Was it just people picking people from other genders and saying ‘this one’s okay, I guess?’ _

 

She was charging ahead, that expression that meant she was out for blood digging its claws into her face. She was so  _ dumb, _ always storming into stuff head first, never thinking it out.

 

“Good news and bad news, kids. We’re almost there,” Pakkun started. Shikamaru groaned.

 

“Is that the good news or the bad news?”

 

Pakkun and Sakura both shot him glares that could kill. Naru, however, ignored him. “That’s the good news,” Pakkun snapped, stopping. They all halted with him. (Naru, somewhat reluctantly.)

 

“Then what’s the bad news?” He growled, looking around at all three of them before settling his eyes back on the dog. 

 

“We picked our tail back up. They’re gaining again. We have to do something,”

 

“Fine, we'll keep going and let them catch up to us and I’ll knock everyone’s heads together,” Naru snarled. Everyone looked at her incredulously. Sakura did it first, a hand on her hip and irritation in her voice.

 

“Oh yeah, real smart Naru, Lets bring the enemies fighting Sasuke-kun back up, and make ourselves into a nice little idiot sandwich while we're at it. Super great strategy,” 

 

Naru rolled her eyes. “So, what then? We just wait around while Sasuke-kun fights those guys all by himself? That’s just perfect Sakura- _ chan _ ,” she spat, making the honorific sound like an insult somehow.

 

“Watch your tone, tomboy,” Sakura snapped, squaring up. Shikamaru cleared his throat.

 

“I’ll hang back. At the very least, I’ll buy Naru enough time to get a good start on knocking heads together,”

 

“We don’t know how strong these guys are Shikamaru-san. They could be jonin level. We’ll all have to wait together,” Sakura reasoned, looking at him with surprise in her eyes. Shikamaru gave her his most crooked smile. 

 

“Like Naru keeps saying, there’s no time,” He turned to look at Naru, whose eyes were gleaming, “right?”

 

“Hey! Don't put that on me! I didn’t mean it was a good idea to just… sacrifice yourself! That’s not what this is about!”

 

“You're right. It’s about Sasuke. And hey,” he stepped over, onto her branch, putting one hand on her shoulder, palm up, “maybe I’ll get a chance to show off,”

 

“You never show off except at Shogi, Shika-kun,” She laughed, "that'd be too much work," She didn’t disagree with what he'd said, not with the first part. He nodded. 

 

“Yeah, well, whatever,” he sighed, looking up at the sky. She grabbed his hands, and for a brief second, his heart stopped. But then he felt that searing heat from before, in the hospital, and realised what she was doing. She was forcing her chakra into his body. It was like holding your hand to a candle flame, and it made his whole body burn white hot. Was this how she felt all the time? And anyway, how the hell did she have chakra to spare? She fought a fight earlier too. But there she was, pulling him close, her eyes closed in concentration as she pumped power into his veins.  _ When the hell did she figure out how to do this? _

 

“Naru…” He gasped, moving to pull away from her. She just kept going gripping his hands tighter. He felt himself sweating, his breathing getting heavier as he overheated. “Naru!” He gasped. She opened her eyes and looked up at him, letting the connection break.

 

“Now you don’t have any excuses. Kick ass and catch up, do you hear me? If you die, I’ll find you in the next life and beat your ass, don’t put it past me. I still haven’t fought you here yet,” she said, balling up her hand in his vest in a now familiar gesture. He smiled.

 

“You’ll never fight me Naru,” He replied, slightly breathless. He felt like he’d just come out of a hot spring and into a damn ice bath. He wanted to pull her into him, hug her. A part of him also wanted her to cry and beg him to stay with her, and to say Sasuke didn’t matter anymore, but that was impossible. He knew who she was, and wouldn’t have loved her the same any other way. 

 

_ Well, maybe he’d love her the same if she loved Sasuke less. But the point remains. _

 

“I swore, remember?”

 

“So did I, now get the hell out of here and go find that spiky-haired fuck,” He said, stepping away and grinning at her, “And make sure you come out of this in one piece, I can’t stand another second in that damn hospital with your stupid ass,” he felt a weird emptiness well up in his chest, but kept the grin on his face as well as he could. She smiled sadly back, and nodded.

 

“Be careful, Shikamaru-kun,” She said, taking off. The other two said their piece too, but he didn’t really care enough to listen. Once they were out of earshot, he crouched, and closed his eyes, bringing his hands together. 

 

_ If I plan this out well enough, I can catch up. I can make sure her stupid ass gets out of this safe. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shikamaru: Backseat Serenade (acoustic), All Time Low 
> 
> (okay, okay, I know, so my excuse is that they're twelve but i grew up on these bands, so bite me)
> 
> Naru: all the kids are depressed, Jeremy Zucker


	49. Naru, Talk Me Into It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru fights a fight she never wanted to have to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These chapters have been really hard to write, i'm hitting my usual NaNo plot wall, I think

Naru was a little out of breath when she finally gained sight of Sasuke, struggling to stand and covered in strange markings. She and Sakura landed beside him, and she pulled him away just in time to dodge a massive…  _ something…  _ swinging out of nowhere toward them.

 

“What the hell is that?” She yelped, unceremoniously dumping Sasuke into Sakura’s arms and staring at the thing as it landed on a tree branch and filled the air with the sound of rattling breathing.

 

“That’s Gaara,” Sasuke bit out, grabbing his stomach and wincing. Naru looked down at the creature, aghast. That cute kid… turned into this?

 

But then he looked up at her, and she saw the half of his face that hadn’t been conquered by the beast.

 

“Oh, good! You finally made it!” He cackled, leaping up and swinging from a tree branch with his mutated arm. Naru narrowed her eyes.

 

“Jeez, and people give me shit for changing my clothes. Can you believe this guy?” She said, pointing over her shoulder at a trembling Sakura and Sasuke, who was obviously in agony.

 

“Are you actually joking right now?” Sakura squeaked in disbelief. Naru shrugged.

 

“Jeez. Tough crowd,” She called down to Gaara, who had his mismatched eyes fixed firmly on her. “Hey, Sandy? I know you’re busy being a monster and stuff, but could you do me a favour and turn it down a lil? You’re kinda scaring my friend over here,”

 

Gaara laughed, and Naru stepped easily off her branch, dropping to the one just below Gaara. His gaze followed her. “Your friend is going to die, and you’re cracking wise?” He sneered, his tail  _ (Gaara has a tail? Jeez, he really is really switching it up here,)  _ snaked up to replace his hand’s grip on the branch, bringing him so that he was hanging upside down, face to face with Naru.

 

“Now, Gaara, I like you. I know what you’re feeling, trust me, but… don’t you  _ dare  _ threaten my friends. I already had to risk one of them to get here, so I really-“

 

“I’m going to kill all of your friends, Naru, and I’m going to make you watch,” He growled, cutting her off, taking aim with his hand and pointing at Sakura, shooting a massive spike at her, like a knife. Sakura, gladly, pulled Sasuke out of the way in time, but Naru screamed anyway, feeling the Kyuubi’s chakra rush up inside her.

 

“No!” She yelled, whipping back to Gaara and swinging a punch straight into his face. He hadn’t been expecting it, and his sand was covering his body in that armour, so the swing knocked him from his perch and sent him slamming through branches and into a tree trunk. She stood, panting, Kurama’s power building in her like a kettle coming to boil, she ripped off her tattered jacket and glared at him.

 

“Don’t you dare touch her!” She screamed, feeling her voice break into something more like an animalistic screech as she lost control. Gaara clambered out of the crater in the tree and cackled at the sight of her, crouched on all fours, snarling like a feral cat.

 

“Her? What? The fact I’ve come within moments of killing your precious Uchiha doesn’t bother you, but the girl is off limits?”

 

“Shut up!” She snarled, launching herself at him, not thinking. He smacked her straight out of the air, sending her crashing through branches and slamming into the earth. He struck the ground next to her, picking her up and whipping her against the nearest tree trunk. She spat out blood and pulled her hands together, crossing her forefingers and conjuring up as many clones as she could. Maybe a hundred? She was distracted, blood was leaking out of her mouth as she sent her intentions through her makeshift army, and they all rushed Gaara at once. Several disappeared immediately, but after a second they started to get some small hits in, to overwhelm him.  _ Shake it off Uzumaki, come on! Gotta keep them safe, and keep him too busy to move. _

 

She peeled herself off the tree trunk and jumped in, kicking him in the face hard enough to send even his sand-covered form flying up into a tree branch. He fell down, straight into three chakra-packed punches and barely managed to use his tail to grip a branch and stop himself from falling into her again. His sand armour was cracked, and the weird mass taking his body over was spreading. Mouths opened up across his body and blasted sand across the whole crowd of clones, dissipating them and knocking Naru to the ground. As soon as the air stilled, however, she struggled back to her feet, feeling blood leaking from scratches across her face.

 

“You’re stronger than you let on, this is... unexpectedly entertaining,” He admitted, still grinning. Naru sneered.

 

“Yeah, well, it’s not some clever move or strategy, people just can’t help but underestimate me. Do you think it’s the hair?” She joked, leaping up, hopping from tree trunk to tree trunk to get the higher ground, but he rocketed skyward too. "Can't we just settle this the nice way? We could talk this out!"

 

“That’s where you’re wrong, there is no nice way,” He sneered back, looking down at her as she sped to catch up. 

 

“Sakura, please don’t answer, but if your scrawny ass hasn’t gotten Sasuke out of here by now, my list of people to fight just got longer!” She yelled, realising too late where he was headed. But of course Sakura had stayed. She’d never want to abandon Naru. She’d want to be around to help- and she may not be able to carry Sasuke very far. Naru felt more blood rise in her throat. She spat it out and met on a level with Gaara, who was gripping Sakura against a tree. He broke the arm that was holding her, leaving his hand there and growing a new one. Naru tried to breathe through the panic and anger welling up in her chest, but Gaara was laughing now.

 

“If I wanted something other than your pain, and your life, I bet I could get it from you now. You’d trade anything for her life… right?” Gaara grinned as Naru clenched her fists, “Your attachment to these weaklings makes  _ you _ weak. The only way to strength is loving only yourself, and existing for only yourself. You are just as pathetic as your pink haired friend here. From the moment a demon was sealed inside of me, when I was small, I have known this. Love for others is weakness, and that makes me stronger than anyone. I love no one, and no one has ever loved me,” 

 

Even now, in the heat of battle, with his hand crushing Sakura, Naru could see herself in his pain, and her heart broke for him. He was so alone, it was so unfair. If it hadn’t been for Iruka, would she be like this now? If it hadn’t been for one kind soul, would she have found all her other friends? “So what is it, exactly, that’ll get you to let go of her?” Naru said, tremulously. Gaara moved to strike, but Naru dodged, planting herself on a tree trunk and crouching there, looking at him. He grinned maniacally. 

 

“Nothing. She’ll be crushed here. I just wanted to show you how she made you weak to manipulation,” He positioned a spike from his tail over Sasuke’s face, teasing her. “You know I could kill him faster, if you’d like. Would that be a comfort to you?” Naru took in a sharp breath.

 

“So, are you going to force me to kill you in order to save my friends?” Naru asked, feeling tears well up in her eyes unbidden.  _ Thank gods my voice is still steady. _

 

“Oh you won’t be able to kill me, Naru,” The use of her name is what did it. She leapt on him, pulling him up by what hair was still exposed, away from Sasuke, away from Sakura, and closer to her. She hauled him into the treetops and away from them, and she punched him in the face, sending him flying back, further from her friends still. 

 

She followed him, zigzagging through the trees and landing in a tree, overlooking the crater where he had landed. Something was stirring, and when the dust cleared, she sucked in a ragged gasp. Gaara was gone. There was only that… creature. He glared up at her. 

 

“You leaf genin have a way of ruining my plans, you know that?”

 

“Yeah, I somehow don’t think that it’s exclusive to leaf nin, it might be a habit of ninja in general,” she snapped, glad his voice hadn't changed. He was still in there, somewhere.

 

Gaara just looked up at her, and then there was a sound like an explosion. A wall of sand snapped toward her so fast she almost didn’t get out of the way in time. 

 

Gaara was really gone now. There stood a truly goliath monster, staring around at the forest, searching for her. She swore under her breath and sprung back.

 

“Okay, chill out, you can do this, focus!” She whispered, building up as much chakra as she could. She dipped straight into Kurama’s power, pulling it up, feeling it start to exit her body, disrupting the air around her. She bit her hand and smeared the blood across her fingers, slamming her hand down- suddenly she was rocketing skyward, Gamabunta below her.

 

“What the hell is it now? Jiraiya!” He bellowed, glaring around.

 

“Nope, sorry sir, it’s me again!” Naru said, leaning forward, “I could really use a hand fighting this big ugly bastard, please… sir?”

 

Gamabunta sighed, crossing his eyes to glare at her, perched on his nose. “You know Gamakichi won’t freaking shut up about how  _ hilarious  _ you are?”

 

Naru smiled, rubbing the back of her neck. “He’s a great guy,” She laughed. Gamabunta sighed again and looked over at Gaara. 

 

“Did… Did you actually pick a fight with Shukaku? Really, kid?”

 

“I picked a fight with Shukaku’s host, so, I guess so?”

 

“You’re a pain in the ass, just like your father,” He grumbled. Naru crossed her arms.

 

“Jiraiya is NOT my father,” she snapped, indignantly. Gamabunta paused, like he was going to say something, but seemed to think better of it. 

 

“Just hang on tight, kid,” He snapped, “I’ll show ya what a real fight looks like,” drawing his Katana and facing Gaara’s monster, Shukaku. He charged, slicing his arm clean off. They landed hard, Gamabunta losing grip of his sword, flinging it out of his reach.

 

“Hey! Try to keep him away from that part of the forest! Sakura is trapped there!” Naru yelled, leaning over the massive toad’s brow and looking into his eye. 

 

“Sakura? Who’s that? Your girlfriend?”

 

“No!” Naru snapped, turning red.  _ What’s with old guys and thinking I’m a boy? Hasn’t Gamakichi told him I’m a girl before? _

 

“Naru!” Gaara yelled, turning to face them as he rose out of the head of the sand form, “not bad! To thank you for being  _ so very entertaining, _ I’ll show you the true power,” He looked up, his eyes rolled back so only the whites were visible, “of the sand,”

 

“The spiritualist medium of Shukaku knows you personally, huh?” Gamabunta growled, crouching low. Naru frowned. 

 

“Guess you could say that, if you’re talking about Gaara, that is,” 

 

Gaara slapped his hands together, smiling at her. She grit her teeth. 

 

“Stay away from him. He’s unstable,”

 

“How’d you know that?”

 

“Shukaku’s mediums can’t sleep. It’s because he tends to keep them in paralysing fear. Whenever they fall asleep, he takes full control. Do you think you’d be in good shape mentally if you never slept?”

 

“Imma be honest boss, I’m not sure I’m in great shape mentally anyway,” Naru laughed, “but I get what you’re saying,”

 

“Your buddy over here is about to let the Shukaku out, look,”

 

Gaara flopped over forward, out cold. For a second, the space of a single heartbeat, Naru just stared at them in terror. Then, Shukaku burst out laughing. 

 

“Aha! Oh yeah! Here I come!” He bellowed, grasping his remaining fist and grinning. Gamabunta growled again.

 

“We’re gonna have to wake up your little boyfriend real quick, kid,” the toad snarled. Naru bristled, leaning over his brow again, slamming her palm flat on his head.

 

"Hey! He's not my boyfriend!"

 

"Does he know that?"

 

"What the fu-"

 

“Are you ready to rumble?!” the Shukaku cackled, flinging attack after attack at them, causing them to have to leap away to dodge. Gamabunta spat water out at him, countering his fire attacks, and the very ground shook with the power of their maneuvers. Gamabunta leapt forward, grasping Shukaku’s shoulders and pulling him face to face.

 

“Come on kid! Hit him!” He shouted. Naru went to move forward, but before she could get anywhere, Shukaku shook Gamabunta off. 

 

“Come on Boss! You gotta hold him still for longer if I’m gonna get a hit in!” Naru yelled down at him. Gamabunta leapt back, dodging a massive fireball. 

 

“Kid, do you see any damn claws or teeth on me? I can’t get a better grip!”

 

“Then what on earth are we gonna do?” She screamed. Gamabunta sighed.

 

“I’d say do a transformation, but…”

 

“But what?”

 

“I’m no damn good at transformations!” He admitted, leaping again. Naru screamed in frustration.

 

“It’s fine! It’s fine! I’m fucking great at transformation! Just… Just gimme the power and I’ll do it!” She said. Hunkering down and performing the hand signs. Gamabunta chuckled, turning to face Shukaku.

 

“Remember, claws and teeth, kid,” he rumbled, beginning his charge.

 

_ Claws and teeth? Claws and teeth… what has claws and… _

 

_ Kurama! _

 

“Transform!”

 

And out shot the nine tailed fox, snarling and barreling toward the raccoon demon. They were fast enough together to avoid his attacks, but not to get any closer.

 

“This isn’t gonna work!” Gamabunta snapped. Naru grunted angrily.

 

“Shut up and stop whining. I just gotta give him a good knock upside his head,”

 

“I know that! Here goes!” 

 

They charged forward, Gamabunta grabbing hold of Shukaku and yanking him face to face again. “Now!”

 

Naru broke the transformation and leapt forward, onto Shukaku’s head, and backhanded Gaara with all her strength. He grunted, and blinked awake, Shukaku’s complaints going silent. There they were, face to face, inches from each other.

 

“You… Broke my jutsu!”

 

“No shit, sleeping beauty,” She snapped, grabbing his shirt so she wouldn’t slide backward down the head of the Shukaku. 

 

“I’ll wipe you off the face of the earth!” Gaara screeched, reaching forward and summoning sand to surround Naru. She reached out, and touched his forehead, her fingers tracing the Kanji there. He froze. 

 

“I will not cease to exist,” he whispered. She shook her head.

 

“No, you won’t,” 

 

The sand started to encase her legs, dragging her back. She scrambled, grasping his shirt, and before he could crush her legs, she lurched forward and headbutted him, slamming their heads together with so much force she could hear both their skulls fracture. She heard Shukaku crumble, and her summon disappeared.

 

She slammed to the treetops, panting for air, finding herself facing Gaara, the sword between them, reflecting half their faces back at themselves. 

 

“Hey man, I’m... I’m spent, and you look pretty rough yourself, we shouldn’t do this,”

 

The sword disappeared, and they both leapt toward one another, both of them landing punches on the other’s face. They landed on the ground, laid out flat, exhausted completely. 

 

Naru just looked at him. Lonely. By himself, her blood smeared across his face. They were young. Both so young. But twelve years was a long time to be all by yourself, and that kind of pain made you older. She didn’t want him to be alone anymore. She reached out her arm, and pulled herself closer to him, one inch at a time.

 

“What… What are you doing?” he groaned, panic in his voice. She couldn’t find the strength to respond at first, she just pulled herself closer. “Stop!” he yelped. 

 

“I… I know what it feels like,” She grunted, clawing her way forward, her freshly broken fingernails splintering away even more, “to be alone. But you don’t have to be,”

 

“What… Why? What makes you so… strong?”

 

She smiled bitterly, heaving herself closer, shaking, every inch of her shaking. Gaara twitched, but couldn’t move at all. 

 

“I need to make sure my friends are okay, and to do that, I need to beat you. Tell me, is Sakura okay? Have you let her go?”

 

“I can’t even move, you think I still have a grip on that pink haired girl? Don’t be stupid,” he snapped. She laughed a little, continuing to claw toward him.

 

“Oh, that’s good. Now…” she pulled up to him, close enough that she could extend her trembling hand and wipe the blood threatening to drip into his eye away. “Are you okay? I think I may have cracked your dome open a little there,”

 

“Wha-” he flinched away, but she was determined to make sure his face was as clean as she could get it.

 

“I know you probably haven’t ever got blood in your eyes before, but it stings, and this is mixed with sand and dirt too. It’s an infection waiting to happen,” She smiled at him, her hand falling beside his face now that the blood wasn’t threatening to run anywhere that’d cause him any more pain. 

 

“I just tried to kill you,”

 

“So?” she asked, her head falling onto his stomach. He grunted.

 

“I tried to kill your friends,”

 

“Yeah, that wasn’t cool. I might not forgive you for a while after that, actually,” she said, “But I’m tired, and everyone is okay, or… shit… Shikamaru-kun!” she made like she was going to get up, but her muscles failed her, and she fell back into him.

 

At that moment, Sasuke landed next to her. She grabbed his hand, glaring at him. 

 

“How’s Shikamaru-kun? Where is he? Go help him!”

 

“What? Shut up, Dobe, you’re a mess, we have to get you to the hospital. You can check on him there, I guess,”

 

“Ugh! He’s gonna be so pissed when he finds out I got hurt,” she groaned as he pulled her into a sitting position, away from Gaara.

 

“Forget Nara! I’m pissed you got hurt, you walking disaster zone,” He picked her up, shooting a dirty look down at Gaara. Naru patted the side of his face.

 

“Leave sleepy alone, will ya teme? He’s had a hard day,” Sasuke looked at her, frowning and shaking his head.

 

“You’re so weird,” he groaned, leaping away. Naru struggled a little in his grip, turning so she could watch Gaara as Sasuke carried her away. Their eyes fixed on each others. She couldn’t read the emotion his were filled with. Naru watched the blonde girl, Temari, swoop down and scoop up Gaara, just before she lost sight of him.

 

_ Good. Someone will look after him then. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Becky, Be Your Own Pet
> 
> Sasuke: Broken Horse, Freelance Whales
> 
> Gaara: White Noise Boys, Airways 
> 
> (I can't sleep at night, there's a gun to my head)
> 
> Sakura: Green Light, Lorde


	50. Sasuke, and the monster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke has his thunder stolen (and also possibly his girl)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru is not aware of what she's doing

 

Sasuke was sitting in the chair in the corner of Naru’s hospital room. He had refused medical attention; insisted on being in Naru’s room if they were going to examine him, almost refused to let go of her on arrival, sliding down the wall in the entryway holding her. She’d passed out while he’d carried her back to Konaha, and it had scared him, if he was being honest with himself.

 

She was still sleeping, but that all it was: sleep. Not a coma, not a brain death. She was going to be perfectly fine. So why did he want to start smashing things? Why did he want to go hunt Gaara down and personally detach his limbs from his body? If she was okay, why wasn’t he?

 

He was ruminating on this when Shikamaru burst in and rushed straight to her side, followed closely by Choji. He practically leapt into the bed with her, grabbing her face and examining her (surprisingly shallow) cuts. He stepped back when she began mumbling unintelligibly, he looked around and snatched up her chart. Sasuke shifted, resting his elbow on the arm of his chair and his head in his hand, watching the Nara panic. He hadn’t even seen Sasuke, his preoccupation was too dramatic.

 

“She’s fine. Just sleeping it off,” Sasuke groused, tilting his head slightly.

 

Shikamaru whirled around, still gripping the chart. Choji breathed a sigh of relief, but Shikamaru just glowered at Sasuke.

 

“If you hadn’t gone galloping off after that fucking Gaara kid- if you’d waited... she wouldn’t have anything to sleep off, you sadistic cactus headed mother fu-”

 

“If you seriously think that she’d have neglected an opportunity to fight, then you don’t know her half as well as I do,” He replied coldly. Shikamaru was shaking with anger, and moved to step forward, the clip board holding Naru's chart snapping in his hands, but Choji shifted behind him, looking at Naru herself.

 

“Hey, knucklehead!” he said, tapping Naru’s face, “You’ve got visitors,”

 

Both of the other boys moved to pull Choji away, protesting that she needed to sleep and to let her rest, but Naru was already blinking awake and looking around her. Sasuke reluctantly settled back into his chair as the newcomers crowded her.

 

“Choji-chan? Grumpy? Aw shit, is this the hospital?”

 

“Yeah it’s the fucking hospital, you dunce,” Shikamaru snapped in a tone of annoyance, but his voice shook. He walked forward and pulled Naru into a hug. Sasuke felt a heat rise in his chest, his fists clenching. _He shouldn’t be pulling her around! She needs rest!_ But then, her arms snaked around the Nara’s waist; and he saw her smile up at him; and the heat in his chest turned into a dragon of unadulterated rage. He bit his tongue in order to keep quiet. _What the hell is happening?_

 

“Sorry, I know you told me not to wind up here,” she said, resting her chin on Shikamaru’s stomach and grinning up at him.

 

“I told you to get out of this in one piece, and you did, barely, but still. And... I’m glad you’re okay,” he pointed at the bandages on her forehead, “You know, you should wear that headband where it’s meant to be worn, if you’re gonna run around using that thick skull of yours as a damn battering ram,”

 

Naru laughed and leaned back, smiling over at Choji, “Can you believe this guy? I just escaped the clutches of death herself and he’s already fuckin’ lecturing me,” She looked past Choji and her eyes finally landed on Sasuke.

 

“Hey! Teme! Come huddle near my sick bed, or are you scared I’ll see the tears in your eyes?” she placed her hands behind her head and laughed. Sasuke blinked his decidedly dry eyes and drew forward, shooting Shikamaru a dirty look and elbowing him out of the way.

 

If Naru noticed, she didn’t let on. She was just smiling up at him, obviously very happy he was there. He traced her every feature with his eyes, trying to memorise them. The way she looked, thrilled to see him, happy he was beside her.

 

“You’re an idiot,” he snapped, pinching her ear. She leaned away from him, slapping his hand back. She grinned, and he almost felt better, until she looked over at Shikamaru and grinned at him too, just the same.

 

“Hey Grumpy, do _you_ think I’m an idiot?”

 

“Yes, without a doubt,” He snapped, “And I told you, you can call me by my name,”

 

“Choji-chan! Do _you_ think I’m an idiot?” she asked. Choji rolled his eyes.

 

“ _Everyone_ thinks you’re an idiot,” He said, mirroring her childish inflection. Naru uttered a performative sigh and settled into her pillow, her arms dropping to her sides.

 

“Shikamaru-kun? How’d your fight go?” She asked. Sasuke bristled. _Shikamaru-kun._ He’d heard her say it before, but god, it bothered him even more now that they were all in the same room and she was _looking at him like that_ . It made the dragon in his chest start clawing at his insides, growling for a fight. He gripped his fists. _Keep cool, an Uchiha doesn’t lose his temper._

 

“You know damn well it went fine. You gave me enough chakra to fell a building,” Shikamaru snapped back. His eyes met Sasuke’s, and he gave a small smirk. Sasuke failed to hide his surprise.

 

“Sorry, what? You _gave_ him chakra?” He asked, not breaking eye contact with Shikamaru. Naru shrugged.

 

“Yeah, it’s not like I’m ever running on an empty tank. _And_ he was tired from his fight,”

 

“ _You_ had a fight too! And since when can you even  _share_ chakra with someone?”

 

“She hasn’t _told_ you? She’s done it with me twice! How recently did you figure out how to do it, Naru?” Shikamaru said, flopping down onto the foot of her bed and smiling smugly. Naru looked a little confused.

 

“I thought it up a little while ago, but you were my guinea pig, when we stopped Gaara from killing Eyebrows. Sorry 'bout it,”

 

“What, and you just never thought to tell me, your actual _teammate_ about this new ability of yours?” Sasuke snapped, completely ignoring the second half of what she'd said. Choji loudly opened a bag of chips, but they all ignored him.

 

“You’ve been gone a _month_ and never once even bothered to speak to me. I’ve learned a lot of things while you’ve been gone, _Sasuke-san,_ ”

 

_Sasuke-san? San? Who the hell does she think she’s talking to?_

 

“I was training!”

 

“So was I, and that means we both learned new skills and neither of us has any right to be upset about being out of the loop,” She snarled, “So, if you please, sit down and stop whining that I didn’t send you a homing pigeon about all the jazzy shit I’ve figured out, especially considering that even if I’d wanted to, you didn’t tell me where you were, so I couldn't. You just disappeared. Of course things changed while you were gone,” She looked away, her eyes landing on Choji, “Hand me a few of those, will you?” she snapped. Choji obliged with a smile, and she started munching angrily away. Sasuke looked back at Shikamaru, who was looking positively smug.

 

“I’m sorry,” Sasuke hissed, turning his head from the other two, as though they couldn’t hear him if they couldn’t see his mouth moving. Naru shot him a dirty look.

 

“Shut up and sit down,” she growled, gesturing at the seat he’d previously occupied. He prowled over to it and sat, glowering at the other two boys.

 

“So, now that’s over,” Naru said around a mouthful of chips, “How’d your fight go Shikamaru-kun? What happened?”

 

“Well,” He said, not bothering to hide his smile, “I trapped them, and held them for a pretty good lil chunk of time. I was halfway to figuring out how exactly to kill them all when Asuma-sensei showed up, and uh, what was that thing that you like to say?”

 

“Knocked some heads together!” Naru laughed, “Aw, your sensei is so cool! Is it true he uses brass knuckles with knives on them?”

 

“Yeah. And he used them against those sound goons too,” Shikamaru grinned, leaning toward her. Naru looked delighted.

 

“Oh man! That’s amazing! You’re so lucky he's your teacher!”

 

“Kakashi-sensei doesn’t need weapons. He’s a famous name for a reason,” Sasuke interjected, annoyed at Naru’s gushing. _She has a teacher, damn it._ Naru turned to him again.

 

“I haven’t seen Kakashi-sensei in a _month,_ I hardly remember what the guy even looks like _._ I’ve been training with Jiraiya, who’s, frankly, just a dirty old man with a penchant for trashy novels… Come to think about it, he could be Kakashi and I wouldn’t know the difference,”

 

“Kakashi-Sensei-”

 

“Kakashi-sensei has taught you a lot over the last month, I know. But he wasn’t here,” Naru snapped, turning away from him again. Shikamaru wasn’t smiling now, just looking at Naru with an expression of concern Sasuke had never seen anyone give Naru before. The dragon in his chest thrashed uncomfortably, and he gripped the arms of his chair so hard that he heard the wood crack. He let go quickly, hoping Choji’s crunching would disguise the sound.

 

“It all worked out though. I mean, that old guy taught you a whole lot,” Shikamaru said, reassuringly. Naru turned her face back to him and hiked a smile up onto it. Sasuke wondered if she was faking. It hadn’t ever occurred to him before that her smiles and constant laughing and joking might not be genuine. _Is she just… trying to make him feel better?_

 

Sasuke zoned out a little, watching Naru talk to Shikamaru and Choji, joking and laughing and only ever looking over at _him_ occasionally. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. She had a gravity like the sun, and he couldn’t break out of orbit.

 

Something in him clicked into place as he saw Shikamaru smile at her and grasp her hand, which she squeezed back. _Oh my god._ _I’m in love with her._

 

Shikamaru and Choji left after a little while longer, promising to visit every day until she was out. She laughed and assured them she’d be in the ramen hut for lunch the next day, and that they could meet her there. Shikamaru had grinned and agreed. Then they were gone, and Naru looked over at him. _Fuck._

 

“I’m actually really upset you left for so long. You didn't even say goodbye,” She said quietly. He just stared at her.

 

“How long have you and Shikamaru been going out?” He asked, voice hoarse. Naru looked so shocked Sasuke almost laughed.

 

“We aren’t! He’s just a friend, and my rival. But I’m trying to talk to you about you disappearing, it really-”

 

“Just a friend my ass, the first thing he did when he came in was climb all over you. If you’re just friends, you should tell him, the poor sod. And I thought I was your rival!”

 

“Hey! What the hell is with everyone and speculating on my love life? Piss off,” She snapped, pointing at him, “even if Shikamaru-kun and I _were_ doing something along those lines, it wouldn’t be any of your business, Teme,”

 

“Everything to do with you is my business,” He replied shortly, narrowing his eyes at her. She smiled bitterly.

 

“If you’re so concerned, stick around more,”

 

“Oh, trust me, after this? I will. And… Naru, I need to tell you something,” he said, remembering a piece of news that he’d meant to tell her as soon as she woke up. Guilt instantly replaced the dragon in his chest as she looked at him, expectantly.

 

“What?”

 

“It’s the Hokage,” he said, a lump rising in his throat, “He’s… He’s dead,”

 

Naru froze, the smile falling from her face as she stared at him, searching his eyes for a trace of a lie. He stared back. When she spoke, her voice was a hoarse whisper.

 

“That’s not funny,” She hissed, “Don’t joke about that,”

 

“I’m not, I wanted to be the one to tell you,”

 

“The old man isn’t dead, don’t be ridiculous, he’s the Hokage, he can’t just… die. Don’t be so stupid. Who… Who told you that?” Her voice was cracking, and she moved to get out of the bed. Sasuke put his hands on her shoulders to keep her down, flashing back to when Sakura had done the same thing to him in the tower. Naru gripped his wrists and pulled them off her, standing up, stepping on one of his feet as she did so.

 

“Naru, he died in battle, the same time that we were facing Gaara,”

 

“No, he didn’t!” she shouted, tears welling up in her eyes. Sasuke could hear people rushing up the hall at the sound. He pulled her into him, in a loose hug, and felt her grab his shirt.

 

“I’m sorry, Naru,”

 

“Don’t be sorry, he can’t be dead, he’s not…”

 

“Naru…” He stroked her hair back. She started to cry silently into his shirt. He wouldn’t have known she was crying if it hadn’t been for the tears soaking through his shirt, and the fact she was shaking in his arms.

  
He felt awful, really. He felt terrible. He was a terrible, terrible person. _If she’s going to cry, it better be on my shoulder._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke: High Enough, K. Flay
> 
> Naru: It Will Come Back, Hozier
> 
> (about her)
> 
> (you know better babe, you know better babe, than to smile at me, smile at me like that)
> 
> (you don't understand/ you should never know/ how easy you are to need)
> 
> Shikamaru: Let Me Go, Cake
> 
> (again but its literally so fucking perfect.)
> 
> Choji: Snap Out Of It, Arctic Monkeys
> 
> The bad news: Frank Sinatra, Cake


	51. Naru, and the pain of loss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Funerals are a hard place to be, and they're harder when you don't have a whole lot of people in your life to start with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> loss is hard (i'm posting this now but editing it later cause i have work in five minutes) edit: it’s my lunch break and I can’t fucking out this shit away. kill me.

The funeral was quiet, but not for the lack of people. It was the overwhelming weight of the loss they had bourne. The terrible magnitude of the gaping hole left in the Old Man’s absence. He was gone. Their greatest protector was gone. And now what would become of them all? The sand had already proven that their treaties were weaker than they’d hoped and that they had been too trusting. And they now had no Hokage.

 

At first Naru had just cried silently, looking down at the casket of one of the few people who’d ever given a shit about her. She’d felt so cold, and so alone, there in the pouring rain, confronted by the ugly face of death in a way she hadn’t ever been before… or at least, not that she could remember. The people she loved had always felt untouchable. Too important to die. And she was stranded with her thoughts on the lonely island that was her soul crushing grief.

 

But then Iruka walked up, and Konohamaru with him. Konohamaru clutched at her side, crying into her hip, and Iruka put his hand on her shoulders. She looked up at her favourite teacher. He had a sad kind of a smile on his face as he looked down at her. She felt more tears slide down her face.

 

“How come people, good people, great people… How come they die?” She whispered, unable to lift her voice any higher under the oppressive emptiness around them.

 

“Because everyone dies, Naru-san. In the end, we all die,” Iruka said, looking at the casket. Naruto shook her head.

 

“But the old man… He was the Hokage! How could he just… die? I saw him, before the exam started. He was fine, he was perfectly okay,” She looked down at the casket too, “And now he’s not anything at all. So why? Why even bother? Does anything actually matter?”

 

“Naru, Do you remember him? Do you remember what Lord Hokage was like?” Iruka asked, hiding the crack of grief in his voice so well, that if Naru knew him any less, she wouldn’t have noticed.

 

“Of course,” She said, “He fell for my sexy jutsu, and he… he laughed at my jokes. He believed in me… He actually believed in me,” She pulled the crying boy at her side closer and let more tears spill down her face, “and now he’s gone,”

 

“No, he’s not,” Iruka said, swallowing the lump that was in his throat (She knew because she had one to match) and squeezing her shoulder, “Because you remember him, he can’t ever be gone, not really. We all remember him, and so he lives on in us,” Iruka turned his head upward, letting the rain land on his face.

 

“It’s not fair, Iruka-sensei,” She said, bending and picking Konohamaru up, “None of this is fair,” She walked away, but not before she heard him reply.

 

“No, it’s not,”

 

A pair of Anbu came by after a little while, and took Konohamaru from her. They could have been his parents. She didn’t know, no one really did, but Konohamaru seemed glad to grasp the Man’s vest, and be carried away. She felt another hand on her shoulder as she walked away. It was Sasuke. His eyes were dark, but they were not so grief stricken they swelled almost closed, as hers did. She faced him.

 

“I’m sorry I was angry with you. Of course you left to train. It was silly of me, to be jealous. Of course Kakashi-sensei wanted to train you one on one- He’s the only person left in this village who has Sharingan too. I… I was wrong. And I was childish. None of it matters anyway, not really. Not now,” She looked past him to the still busy square, filled with mourners.

 

“Naru-”

 

“Don’t,” she said, turning away, “I… I have to… I have to find Pervy Sage. I need to train more. Get stronger. I… I have a promise to keep,”

 

“What promise?” Sasuke asked, stepping closer to her again. She lowered her head, and gripped her fists. The clouds parted, and the rain stopped.

 

“I swore I’d save as many lives as I could. I couldn’t save the Old Man, but god damn it, if I ever let something like this happen again-”

 

“Dobe, you didn’t let this happen! Don’t be an idiot! This- this was that Orochimaru guy everyone is talking about, not you-”

 

Naruto whipped around, staring at him, “If I’d been stronger I could have saved you and been back in time to help- I could have relieved Kakashi-sensei and Kakashi-sensei could have gone to the old man-”

 

“You’re being stupid! You defeated Gaara! I couldn’t do that! You… You’ve been getting so much stronger so much faster than anyone is ever supposed to be able to-”

 

“It’s not enough!” She sobbed, grasping his shirt, angrily wiping tears from her eyes like they were obstacles, “None of it’s enough because now the Hokage is dead and there’s no one who can take his place!”

 

Sasuke froze, looking at Naru’s tear stained face. He hates you, you’re so pathetic, he’s disgusted, just look at his expression. He hates you.

 

But then he pulled her into him and hugged her hard, resting his chin on her head. “Okay. Get so strong that next time someone threatens the village, you can end them with a look. Get so strong you can save everyone on the fucking planet. And I’ll get stronger too,” He kissed her forehead and pinched her ear, “I’ll get strong enough to save you,”

 

Naru looked up at him, confusion consuming her whole. What was that feeling in her throat? She wanted to stay, to figure out what it was, but instead she just nodded, and broke away.

 

“I have to go find Pervy Sage,” she squeezed Sasuke’s hand, “I’ll see you soon,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Sad Songs And Waltzes, Cake


	52. Jiraiya, Bigots and Big Hopes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jiraiya really likes his weird grandniece

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jiraiya actually loves Naru to death already because she's a blackmailing little shit

“There’s no one else who can do it, Master Jiraiya,” Ebisu said, leaning against the railing and staring at the Sanin. Jiraiya shook his head.

 

“There’s one other. And I think I know where to find her,”

 

One of the council raised her eyebrows, staring at him. “Surely you don’t mean…”

 

“Yeah. I do. I’m going to go and look for her, and I’ll bring her back here when I find her,” He paused, turning back to face the elder council and the few Jounin that weren’t on missions or helping to repair the damage done in the village, “And I’m taking the kid with me,”

 

“The Jinchuriki child? You’ll face no objections there, I can assure you,” another council member said, “No one will miss the little beast,”

 

Jiraiya snorted derisively. “It’d do you good to learn that just because you feel one way, doesn’t mean everyone does. There’s a whole lotta folks who’ll be sorry to see her go. You're all just too dried up and out of touch to know how the village really feels,” 

 

The council all seemed to swell a little at the disrespect, and Ebisu snapped upright, glowering at him. “Mind how you speak, Master Jiraiya,”

 

Jiraiya shot him a withering look. “There’s a reason that all three legendary sanin left this village,” He growled, voice low, turning to leave, “and it’s not the scenery,”

 

“How dare-“

 

Jiraiya waved over his shoulder dismissively, and leapt off the balcony, landing on a rooftop clearly out of remonstrating range.

 

He found the kid quick enough. She was in the woods, loudly toppling trees and breaking off branches. Jiraiya sat nearby, out of sight, and watched for a while. It took her four punches and three kicks before she fell a rather large cedar tree, likely at least fifty years old. She screamed on her final strike, as though her voice was the last thing that the tree needed in order to submit to the inevitable. It struck the ground with a thud that shook the earth.  _She's channeling her chakra pretty well nowadays._  Jiraiya descended from his own tree, partially because he was worried his perch would be the next victim of her training. 

 

“Keep that up and Konohagakure will need to change its name. ‘Village that used to be hidden in the leaves’ or ‘village that isn’t fucking hidden at all anymore’ doesn’t really have that same ring to it, though,” He said, crossing his arms and leaning against the nearest unharmed tree trunk. Naru whipped around, her knuckles bloody and her whole body covered in sweat.

 

“I was looking for you all day yesterday, _and_ all morning today, where were you? Spying on girls in changing rooms or spying on girls in hot springs?” she snapped, glowering at him. 

 

“Neither. I’ve been spying on  _ women _ in hot springs, thank you very much,” he said sharply, “but that’s beside the point. You need to pack your shit. We’re going on the road,”

 

Naru turned back to the nearest standing tree and climbed up it, sticking herself by the hands to a branch and starting to do pull ups, holding her legs out at a right angle. “Oh? Why?”

 

Jiraiya paused, wondering if he should tell her the truth or not.  _She was pretty broken up by Sarutobi's death, after all._ He decided the truth was best. “We’re going to go and find the next hokage. An old teammate of mine,”

 

“Oh yeah? Is he as big a useless perv as you are?” She grunted, not looking at him. He could still tell the news bothered her.

 

“ _ She _ is neither useless, nor is _she_ a pervert,”

 

Naru froze and fell out of her tree. “ _She_? A _woman_? A woman _Hokage_?  _ Lady Hokage!  _ How dope does that sound? _ ”  _ Naru grinned, jumping up, dirt sticking to the sweat on her back. She didn’t notice, “Where is she? How long till we get to see her?”

 

“Kid, calm down. The thing is, she’s in hiding, so it’ll take a while to find her,”

 

Naru waved her hand, as though she was brushing his words out of the way, “Nevermind that, I can wait. Is she strong? Does she have an elemental specialty? Is she totally ripped?”

 

“She’s very strong, and she’s a healer. The best healer there is, actually,”

 

“She’s… a healer?” Naru asked, disappointment flooding her features, “I… I thought… If she’s gonna be Hokage, then, she has to be able to beat people up, not fix people up!”

 

“Trust me,” Jiraiya said, running his hand through his hair, “Tsunade can definitely do both,”

 

“Oh. Well. That’s okay  _ I guess,”  _ Naru grumbled, crossing her arms.

 

“I’m sure she’ll be glad to have your endorsement,” Jiraiya tried to stop the smile that was threatening to creep onto his face. “Now, go shower and pack, meet me at the Village Gates in an hour,”

 

“But… Pervy Sage… What about my training?” She said, as though suddenly remembering something on a to do list. Jiraiya sighed.

 

“We can train as we look for her,” He snapped, “Don’t worry,”

 

“Do you think Tsunade could train me a little on the way back?” She asked hopefully, following Jiraiya back toward the village, jogging a little to catch up. He scowled down at her.

 

“You change Sensei’s like you change clothes. You’re  _ my _ student now, kid. You even blackmailed me into it. Don’t get greedy,”

 

Naru rolled her eyes and sighed. “But I could learn a lot from a  _ female _ perspective, you know?”

 

“You need a female perspective like I need a hole in the head,”

 

“Pretty bad then? Your head is looking a little swollen right now, after all,”

 

“Listen, I can make this training easy on you, or hard on you. Your choice,” he threatened. They reached the edge of the village, where they’d head in opposite directions. Naru turned, walking backward so that he’d hear her.

 

“Make it hard,” She laughed, wiping her chin, leaving a little bloody smudge there, “Nothing worth having ever came easy,” then she whipped around and jogged away, waving over her shoulder, “One hour, by the main gates!”

 

Jiraiya crossed his arms and finally let himself smile. _She was such_ _  a weird kid. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jiraiya: Rock 'n' Roll Lifestyle, Cake 
> 
> (Literally one of my all time favourite songs)
> 
> Naru: Jackie Chan, The Dollyrots. Hyperactive, The Dollyrots


	53. Naru, And The Plot Dot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru pulls a prank and learns a new trick

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru can't stop fucking up everyone's day all the time

Naru could not, for the life of her, pop the goddamn water balloon in her hand. She had been trying for hours, and hadn’t popped a single one. Jiraiya had wandered off, saying he’d be asking around for information. _He really thinks I’m an idiot._

 

Naru didn’t care. She didn’t _really_ want him to know how abysmally she was doing. No matter how hard she made the water thrash inside the plastic bubble in her hand she couldn't make the thin barrier break. She walked through the town, still trying to pop the balloon. One handed, she bought food and ate it, occasionally bumping into people and apologising profusely. She walked down into what was obviously the shady part of town, because it was less crowded, and what people were actually there glanced around them and steered far from her, a little kid in bright orange trousers holding a water balloon. She sat on a bench, sighing and slouching in shame. _Jiraiya is going to be so disappointed in me._ She flopped back and closed her eyes, the water balloon still clutched loosely in her hand.

 

Then she heard it. Jiraiya’s rowdiest laugh. She sat bolt upright and looked around her, dropping the ballon. She swore. Then his voice came echoing down the street.

 

“Oh yeah baby! This is my kinda town!”

 

She jumped to her feet, striding straight into a dimly lit club, punching the bouncer directly in the crotch when he tried to stop her. She stomped straight into the club and glowered around until she saw him, surrounded by scantily clad women and obviously very drunk.

 

“Hey! Dirty Old Bastard!” She yelled, pointing at him. Everyone in the club snapped their heads around to stare at her. Jiraiya froze, eyes wide.

 

“Naru! It isn’t what it looks like!”

 

“Isn’t what it looks like my ass!” She shouted. She wasn’t surprised, not really. She’d known exactly what he was going to do the second she walked into this city of indulgence. She glanced around. _How do I get him out of here, without blowing any cover he might actually have going?_ “So, I’m supposed to believe that you aren’t cheating on Mom?”

 

“Cheating on… Come on kid, what are you talking about?” Jiraiya blinked, surprised. Everyone in the club, however, turned their gazes toward him. Some of the women looked angry already. Naru supressed the laugh in her chest, using the pressure to make her voice crack.

 

“Mom sent me out here to find you, because she’s too weak to stand, and, you know I can’t carry her all the way to the hospital, even after she lost all that weight from her illness,” She threw her hand over her face dramatically so that none of the strippers could see her smile, “And I find you here, trying to pick up _women!_ With my _mother_ , your _wife,_ sick at home, dying! Oh, the humanity! How could you, Father?!” She collapsed onto the ground in a convincing fit of emotional distress. She could hear the emptying of at least four drinks on her teacher’s head, and him spluttering in shock. _That’s what you get for ditching me you nasty old goat._ She thought, trying hard to keep her face in an exagerated expression of despair.

 

She felt Jiraiya yank her up by her arm and drag her out as she continued to kick her legs and wail about his “betrayal of the family!”

 

“I should kick your ass,” Jiraiya growled, dripping with a sticky mix of beer and fruity cocktails, but smiling all the same. She stood and grinned at him.

 

“Pretty convincing, huh?”

 

“Honestly kid, with that kinda plot in your back pocket, maybe you should be the novelist,” he said, leading her out to the edge of town and sighing, “If I give you some more help on this, will you actually let me do some reconnaissance?”

 

“Sure, for little a while. But didn’t the council warn you that I need a babysitter?” She said, pulling a thread out of the hem of her tank top and smiling up at him. Jiraiya crossed his arms and frowned.

 

“Listen to me. Those assholes on the council are so far up their own asses they can’t see what makes the village strong. People like you do that, not a bunch of bureaucratic nonsense. And if they can’t tell that… well, then that’s their problem- not yours,”

 

Naru felt her face heat up a little. “Thanks, Pervy sage, ‘preciate it,”

 

“Yeah, well. Whatever. Anyway, uh, shit, what was I saying? Oh yeah, Paper,”

 

“You weren’t saying anything about paper,” she said, shaking her head. He grit his teeth.

 

“That’s cause _I hadn’t got to it yet,”_ he bit out. Naru grinned. “Anyway, your problem is that your chakra is unfocused, and you can’t tell which way it’s turning or where exactly you should channel it. Look,” He pulled out a piece of blank paper and a brush, holding it up for her to see. “Look at this, for instance,”

 

Naru did. The paper was still just blank. It did nothing other than flap a little in the breeze. Naru shrugged. “There’s nothing there. It’s just a piece of paper,”

 

“Exactly. There’s no focus,” he did something with the brush and turned the paper around. Naru Looked at it again. Her eyes fell on a little spiral in the middle of the page.

 

“Yeah, you made a dot. it's still just a piece of paper,” Naru said, pulling another thread from her top, “Congrats?”

 

Jiraiya rolled his eyes and pointed at the dot. “Where did your eyes immediately go?”

 

“The dot!” Naru snapped, pointing at it too. Jiraiya gestured violently at her with the brush, flicking ink in her face. (Most likely by accident, but she shot him a dirty look anyway.)

 

“Exactly! Egg-fucking-xactly!” He gestured at the dot again, “If you have a focus point, your eyes know where to go. Chakra,  _is_ your eyes,”

 

“Chakra… is my _eyes_?”

 

“Yes! You need a focus point so that the chakra knows where to go!” He beckoned her over, dipping his brush in more ink, “Here,” he drew a little dot on her palm, “Now, your chakra has a place to go,”

 

Naru looked up at her teacher and smiled. “Okay, I got this,”

 

“Hell yeah you do. Oh! While I'm on a roll! Tilt your head forward,” He, however, didn’t wait, he roughly tilted her head toward him a little, looking down at it. “Hmm,”

 

“What?”

 

“Try turning the water to the right,” He said, grabbing his brush again and making the dot into a little spiral, rotating to the right. She furrowed her brow.

 

“How come?”

 

“It’s the direction your chakra naturally flows,” he said, dropping the brush into the inkwell at his feet and looking proud of himself.

 

“How’d you know that?” she asked, looking back up at him. He patted her head, grinning.

 

“It’s the direction your hair grows in,” He stepped back, turning to walk away, “Okay kid, don’t come get me until you-”

 

The water balloon popped in her hand, splashing over the both of them. She grinned. “Got it,”

 

“Oh-kayyy,” he said slowly, turning back to face her. He pulled out a bag of balloons and handed her half of them, dropping at least ten on the ground as he pushed them into her hands. “Fill these up and pop all of them. Then you can come get me,”

 

She frowned up at him. “Hey! I wanna do the next thing!” But he was already striding away, waving over his shoulder.

 

“Practice makes perfect kid. You told me to go hard on you!” He laughed. She flipped him off, scattering balloons over the ground.

 

“Take a shower, you smell like the floor in a bar that’s never been cleaned!” she spat, waving her crude hand sign over her head.

 

Jiraiya just flipped her off right back and strode quickly away. She sighed and began gathering up the balloons. _Well, if I have to do this, I’ll do this right._ She looked down at the spiral on her hand and smiled. She snatched up the brush and painted a little leaf around the spiral Jiraiya had made on her hand.

  
“I’ll get the hang of this so fast, his head’ll spin to the right!” she said, grabbing up the balloons and standing. She smiled to herself. “First I’ll get the hang of this, then I’ll become a chunin, then I’ll be the Hokage and save as many people as I can. Those council goons’ll see,” She laughed.  _And if they don’t… that’s their problem._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: You Call Me A Bitch Like It's A Bad Thing, Halestorm
> 
> Jiraiya: Dear Daughter, Halestorm
> 
> (even if you don't listen to my song recs normally, please listen to this one cause i'm soft)


	54. Jiraiya, And The Opposing Forces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jiraiya gets some good news and some other, weirder news

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, i tried to explain my thinking a little in the chapter, but i'll put more of it in the bottom with the chapter songs

_ Whatever the kid thinks, I actually am trying to get some information. _ He thought, throwing his arm around a young woman who had her hair tied up, showing off large, fake gold earrings and who had on a dress that was at the very least two sizes too small for her. He leaned forward and whispered in her ear.

 

“Hey, I was wondering, do you like to gamble?”

 

She looked at him slyly through her lashes, “Mister, I like anything you like,”

 

“That’s a pretty good answer, sweetheart, but, ya see, I’m looking for someone who owes my boss an honor debt. He’d spend more money to get her back so no one thinks he’s letting a debtor run free than she ever owed in the first place,” he lied. She didn't look too far into it. She just leaned in, supplying him with a view down her dress front.

 

“Oh! Well, my memory’d be better if I’d eaten something. Maybe over dinner…” she said, sliding her hand up his thigh and fluttering her lashes.

 

Jiraiya pulled out a few bills and held them under the table for her to see. “I already ate, but I could buy you a little something if you want,”

 

“Sounds good to me. Got a description or something? There’s a lot of gamblers round here,” The woman said, looking down at the bills. Jiraiya smiled.

 

“Well, they call her the Legendary Sucker for starters. She never quits on a losing streak,”

 

“Is she blonde? With uh… generous endowments?” The woman asked, all coyness gone with the money in front of her. Jiraiya nodded.

 

“Yep, that’s her. So she’s around here?”

 

“Yeah, I’ve seen her. My boss robbed her damn near blind the other day. She mighta blown town after that,”

 

Jiraiya handed her the money, nodding. “I told ya, she never quits on a losing streak,”

 

The woman tucked the cash into her bra and smiled at him. “Pleasure doing business,” She got up and he slid his eyes down her frame as she did so, smiling to himself.

 

“All mine,”

 

There was a loud yell and a bang and everyone in the club jumped, some drawing weapons as Naru, panting in exhaustion and with her tank top torn from where a bouncer had obviously tried to subdue her, burst in. She looked around, almost exactly how she had before, and then her eyes fell on him. A gleam flashed in her eyes and she sucked in a deep breath, but Jiraiya leapt to his feet and sprinted over to her, scooping her right off the ground and throwing her over his shoulder, carrying her out of the club before she could start screaming about another made up scandal.

 

“You weren’t supposed to come get me ‘till you popped  _ all _ those balloons, kid,” He snarled, carrying her past the unconscious bodies of  _ three _ massive bouncers.  _ Little hellion. _

 

“I did!” she exclaimed, obviously proud of herself. He pulled her off his shoulder and held her out in front of him, at arm’s length and a good two feet off the ground. She grinned at him.

 

“All those balloons? It’s only been an hour and a half,”

 

“Two hours,”

 

“That was two hundred and fifty balloons! It had to take a while to fill them up too!”

 

“I did two at a time,” she held out her hands awkwardly, because of the way he was holding her. Two little Leaf village symbols, facing in opposite directions, were branded, red and inflamed, into her palms from the sheer amount of Chakra that had been channelled through them in such a short period of time. He blinked, then dropped her. She landed on the ground on all fours, catlike, and then stood slowly, looking up at him.

 

“Come with me,” he said, looking around and striding toward the more  _ family friendly _ part of town. She followed, looking a little disgruntled.

 

_ What kind of a little monster is this kid? Two hands?  _ “Why’d you start using your left?” He asked, trying to keep his voice even. She shoved her burned hands into her pockets. 

 

“It was goin’ too slow,” she said, obviously trying hard not to pout. He knew she’d probably been expecting praise or something, but he was having trouble wrapping his head around the fact she’d done it at all. It was more than impressive, it was surprising. Down right shocking. He strode up to a vendor and bought a popsicle, and asked the vendor for a spare ice cube. He turned back to her, and tossed her the ice cube.

 

“Hold that between your palms,” he snapped. She did as she was told, flinching at first then sighing in relief. He watched her melt the little cube between her overheated hands. Once it was pretty much gone, he snapped the two popsicle sticks apart and handed her one. She took it, looking up at him in surprise he almost found insulting.

 

“Wha-”

 

“That’s pretty good kid. I don’t think even the fourth coulda maintained two different chakra rotations at once,” He bit into the popsicle and chewed it carefully, “Especially in different directions. And he created the damn Jutsu,”

 

“Guess I just have a talent for swinging both ways,” She joked. Jiraiya paused for a moment, deciding it was best just not to react at all.  _ It made sense, really.  _

 

“So, here’s the thing. I want you to go to bed,”

 

“What? No way! All that work and you just-”

 

But Jiraiya held up his hand, and she fell reluctantly silent, putting her popsicle in her mouth like a cork in a bottle, “ _ Because _ you’re moving too quickly. I need to get some shit together for the next phase of your training, and you need rest. I need to recalibrate, I wasn’t expecting you to do this well. You surprised me. I’m gonna really up the ante tomorrow, but I also need to do  _ my _ job,” He looked down at her disappointed face and ruffled her hair, allowing her a smile, “I’m proud of you kid, now go get to the hotel room and wash yourself up,”

 

It was almost funny how quickly her face lit up at the word proud, and she grinned so hard her eyes squeezed shut and gave him the thumbs up. “You got it Pervy Sage!” she turned on her heel and waved over her shoulder, heading to the hotel, “Better be ready for me to bring it tomorrow!”

 

Jiraiya rolled his eyes and sighed performatively, but waved back.  _ So, she can maintain two different rotations at once. That was probably why she was having trouble before. She could, maybe, have produced a more powerful singular rasengan if she’d somehow changed the direction back and forth, but that would take two more hands than she had.  She really just adjusted the jutsu to both compensate for her specific problem and improve it without even trying to do so. I guess that kind of thinking just comes naturally to her.  _

 

He paused, chewing the inside of his cheek.  _ On top of that, how on earth does she have two opposing natural chakra rotations? Is that the Kyuubi? How hasn’t she exploded yet if that’s true? _

  
He looked over, spying a beautiful woman with long brown hair, talking to a vendor. She glanced at him, and seeing him watching her, blushed shyly. He smiled.  _ Well, at least I can take my mind off of it for a little while. I’ll worry about it later. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: I'm awesome, The Dollyrots
> 
> Jiraiya: So He Won't Break, The Black Keys
> 
> // So, Naruto only got the balloon to break by turning the water back and forth on itself, right? Well Naru has slightly better control due to the fact she worked a little harder on it than Naruto did because she felt like she had more to prove than he did, so it wasn't a problem for her to break the balloon by rotating the water in a single direction. However, she's even more hot headed than him, and because her relationship with Jiraiya is a little closer at this point than Naruto was with Jiraiya (at this point in time, not over all) she wanted him to stick around with her. That meant that she got very impatient very quickly, and figured if she could do it with her right hand, she could do it with her left too. Naruto, in my head, would have been able to do it this way too, if he'd thought it up. But instead he went to channel his conflicting rotations into one single rasengan instead of splitting it into two. (also i'm a sucker for a double wielder)


	55. Naru, When Trouble Comes Looking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru meets her match

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> blame it on the ah-ah-ah-a-al-alcohol

Naru sat, drying her hair roughly with her towel. She sighed. It had been a long time since she’d had to be alone like this. Sure, she was by herself in Konohagakure for a little while every now and again, but she could always swing by Ichiraku or go play a prank and get in trouble if she needed it. She wasn’t ever alone with _nothing_ to do. Naru bit her lip.

She wanted to summon Gamakichi to keep her company, but felt like it might be wrong to keep calling him down from the mountain to entertain her. He had a life too. She’d already done a pretty decent amount bed-presses, and pushups, and she’d just taken a shower, she didn’t really want to get sweaty again right away. She flopped back on the bed, wishing she’d packed something to do. _Maybe I should take up reading dirty novels all the time like Kakashi._ She snorted.

She thought of Shikamaru, always so happy to just lie back and watch the clouds roll by. Or Sakura, who always carried some textbook or other with her in case she had two minutes to spare. Or even Sasuke, who although he never seemed _happy_ while he did it, seemed content to stare off into space and leave the present for a little while, think about something else while his hands idly turned a kunai over and over again.

 

Naruto wondered if it was an affliction, not being able to detach herself from the present moment, to be inherently malcontent in inactivity. She looked up at the ceiling, imagining something projected there, like a movie. She imagined sitting at a table, with Shikamaru and Choji, Sakura sitting next to her, Sasuke leaning against a wall. They were laughing, playing a board game. It quickly devolved into them throwing chips at each other. Naru smiled. She sometimes wished they were all civilians, all just living their lives like normal citizens while other people worried about all the big things, the wars and the death. She wondered, if she had parents, would things be different? But Sakura had parents, and she got mixed up in all the same crap she did. Well, almost. She wasn’t a demon vessel.

 

Naru wouldn’t trade though. She liked being herself, her only wish is that everyone else liked her too. She chewed her top lip. It’d be nice if people would only like her like Shikamaru and Choji did. Sakura and Sasuke only really put up with her because they were on the same team, and Jiraiya only put up with her cause she was a blackmailer. But Shikamaru and Choji, they saught her out. Kiba too, sometimes, but the rest? It was all convenience.

 

_I wish people would search me out more often. Look for me._

 

There was a knock at the door. Naru frowned and glanced at the clock on the wall. It was far too early for Jiraiya to be back. Not with the way women in this town dressed. He’d be busy for another two or three hours. Who the hell was knocking on her door then? She stood, shuffling over to the door.

 

“Who is it?”

 

“Room service,” A low, lazy, masculine voice replied. She turned the knob and cracked the door.

 

“I didn’t-”  


The man pushed the door open, making her step back, further into the room. _Two_ men stood, blocking the doorway, dressed in black robes adorned with stylised red clouds. One, the taller man, was almost _inhuman_ looking. Scars like gills marred the skin under his eyes, which were round and unnatural. A large, bandaged sword was strapped to his back and what Naru could see of his smile was sharp and… wrong. The other man… the other man was…

 

 _Beautiful._ He had the face of a dream, deep lines making their way from his red, familiar eyes to his cheeks, like a pathway for tears to travel along, roads of sorrow. He had high cheekbones and seemed comprised of graceful, gently arching lines. Not like Kakashi or Neji, who were both so angular, or Choji, who was soft and round. Not even Shikamaru or Kiba, whose every feature spelled unabashed masculinity. No, This man… This man reminded her of Sasuke. Gentle lines, unconcerned with expectations but somehow still meeting all of them, a perfect marriage of masculine and feminine, framed in blue-black hair that made his pale skin look like moonlight made physical. _This man is either an Uchiha or an angel._

 

She stared up at him, in awe, as his hand slid slowly down the door and he stepped into the room. “You’re the Uzumaki kid, then?”

 

It was _his_ voice that had slipped through the door, the lazy cant of his accent, his words spoken like cursive handwriting. She retreated backward, narrowing her eyes.

 

“No,” She lied, glancing away from him to his smirking friend, but her eyes fell back upon the gorgeous stranger, who somehow, at the same time, wasn’t a stranger at all, “and I didn’t order room service,” She said, her knees hitting the edge of the bed. She wasn’t an idiot. These men didn’t work for the fucking hotel. These men were here for her, and there was no good reason why.

 

“Oh, sorry,” The man who looked like an animal said, a humour in his words that didn’t belong there. _He's a demon. A demon and an angel walk into a hotel room, and my life is a sick joke..._ “Our mistake. But... while we’re here we might as well clean up a little. Right, Itachi?” He looked at the angel, who just kept walking forward slowly, toward Naru. She fell onto the bed and scooted back onto it, away from him, till her legs stuck out childishly, her feet leaning toward each other. she started to scramble, wanting space, needing to think... but how could she? How could she gain her bearings when her head was spinning so fast?

 

“Take this seriously, Kisame,” The angel, Itachi, replied in a bored voice. He tilted his head, red eyes tracing along Naru’s face. Kisame snorted.

 

“Come on,” Kisame said, “this is easy pickings. Grab the boy and lets go,”

 

“I think it’s a girl,” Itachi said, approaching the bed, taking hold of one of her ankles and pulling her back to the edge. Naru bristled.

 

“I don’t care _what_ it is, just grab it and let's go,” The taller man growled. Itachi leaned forward, reaching toward her.

 

“Watch it, pretty boy,” she growled, slapping his hands away and snarling up at him. She felt Kurama stir in her. Itachi smiled half heartedly. _How could a person be so stunning?_

 

“It’s her for sure, Kisame,” he said, staring deep into her eyes, making her freeze solid, grabbing her waist and pulling her off the bed, cradling her like a child, “Let’s go,”

 

“Finally,” Kisame sighed, kicking off the doorframe. Itachi carried her out of the room. She struggled faintly, but Itachi was much, much stronger than he looked, and there was something wrong in the way her body was listening to her, like someone had built a dam between her brain and her muscles. She swore, closing her eyes. _This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening._

 

“Hey! Itachi!”

 

_Sasuke? No! Go! Get away! This isn’t happening!_

 

Itachi turned, still cradling Naru, and faced the young man standing at the end of the hall. Naru opened her eyes and looked up at Itachi, who was looking bored again. “Sasuke-chan. It’s nice to see you again,”

 

“That’s good, cause I’m the last thing you’re ever going to see, you vile son of a-”

 

“Mind your words, otouto,”

 

A flash of lighting, and Sasuke was charging down the hotel hallway, dragging his Chidori along the wall. Naru saw it like it was in slow motion, Itachi dropped her and grasped Sasuke’s wrist, pulling him in so he had no choice but to stand on her chest, knocking the air from her, in order to stop himself from choking as Itachi grabbed his throat.

 

“You’re still too weak. You don’t have nearly enough hate,” Itachi whispered, just barely loud enough for Naru, still struggling for air, to hear.

 

“You bastard,”

 

“Mom and dad were married, remember?” Itachi laughed, dragging Sasuke off Naru and snapping his wrist as easily as a dry twig. Sasuke cried out, and Naru jumped up.

 

“Let him go you fucking piece of shit!” She snapped, moving jerkily. Itachi barely looked at her.

 

“Kisame, subdue that, just for a moment, will you?”

 

“With pleasure,” the beast purred, striding forward and grabbing her, grinning down at her with his sharp rows of teeth.

 

“Fuck you,” she said, spitting in his face. Kisame wiped it away with his sleeve, snarling, and punched her hard in the face. Really hard. Pain made her vision swim, and her ears ring. She felt her nose break and Sasuke grunt.  _No! I have to get to him! I have to save him!_ She Began building her chakra, ramping up for the fight that was coming.

 

“Hey, maybe you shouldn’t punch little girls. Just, you know, a tip. It makes you seem like you’re compensating for something,”

 

 _Jiraiya!_ She looked over at him, standing there. A little plume of anger burst behind her eyes.  _Leave the monster to me. Help Sasuke!_ She stamped on Kisame's foot, but he didn't react beyond tightening his grip and lifting her slightly. She kicked out again, still being ignored. Her body still wasn't reacting right.

 

“Maybe you live up to your nickname though… Don’t they call you the beast _without_ a tail?” Jiraiya sneered, still focusing on the man holding her. Naru snorted with laughter, blood from her crushed nose splattering the ground. Kisame snarled, and he hit her again, sending her slumping, half conscious to the ground.

Jiraiya did something, and the floor around her was soft and warm, and there was a loud crashing. Jiraiya was shouting, Sasuke was screaming, Naru couldn’t see anything. Were her eyes closed? She tried to open them.

 

She couldn’t. Was she blind?

 

Was she…

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Trouble, The New Respects
> 
> Itachi: Come With Me Now, KONGOS
> 
> Kisame: Steady As She Goes, The Raconteurs
> 
> Sasuke: Nookie, Limp Bizkit
> 
> Jiraiya: Legendary, Welshy Arms


	56. Jiraiya, And The Swift Kick To The Face

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jiraiya finds his NOTP

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jiraiya most certainly does not ship it

Jiraiya pursued the two men through the hall,  _ sure _ that they couldn’t get out,  _ sure  _ he’d be able to catch them and  _ interrogate  _ them at the very least but… then he rounded a corner and there was a hole blown in the throat, straight to the city, rimmed in black flames. He ground his teeth together.

 

_ Not much can get through a toad throat. This isn’t good. _ He knew a little about the Akatsuki, and had heard enough about the seven swordsmen of the mist to know Kisame when he saw him. The younger man was obviously Itachi, likewise infamous, because, of course he was. Not many people wipe out their own clan, and given that it was the Uchihas… well, it took more than a little guts to take on one Uchiha, let alone  _ all _ of them. _No point in trying to pursue them further... I'm not ready for that kind of a fight right now._  He had to make sure Naru and her little stalker boyfriend were okay, after all. 

 

He pulled the unconscious kid out of the wall, and found Naru standing, blinking furiously, blood running down her face and into her eyes.  _ Kid probably can’t see a fucking thing _ . He reached out, touching her shoulder, but she instantly grabbed his arm and made to break it. 

 

“Whoa! Kid! It’s me, it’s me,” he growled, yanking his arm away. She looked up at him, still blinking, her eyes clouded and dark, “But where, exactly, was that energy when you were getting kidnapped?” he snapped.

 

“Fuck! Sorry Pervy Sage, is Sasuke-kun okay? Where’d you put the goons?”

 

“The kid’s here, he’s fine. The goth bathrobes got away,”

 

“They did what? Excuse me?” She barked, baring her teeth upward, a foot to the left of his head. He frowned. 

 

“They got away,” He said clearly, pulling her arms out straight with his left hand and dumping Sasuke on her with his right. She stumbled a little, but recovered and squeezed him closer to her. She pointed her useless eyes down at him and frowned. 

 

“Teme if you stopped using chakra for your pushups this wouldn’t happen,” She mumbled, and Jiraiya released the toads throat jutsu, leaving the three of them in a badly damaged hotel hallway. Jiraiya sighed, uncapped a skein of water and tilted Naru’s head back, not warning her before dumping it over her eyes. She flinched and blinked, but didn’t drop the boy as water ran over her and splashed him too. When the skein was empty Jiraiya capped it and put it in his bag. She blinked again, looking up at him. Her face went from relief to fury in a half a second.

 

“THERE’S NOT A SCRATCH ON YOU! YOU LET THEM GET AWAY WITHOUT A FIGHT?”

 

“Keep shouting, and I’ll blind you for real this time,” He snapped, crossing his arms as she shifted Sasuke so his head was resting in the crook of her neck, and pointed at him viciously with the hand supporting Sasuke's legs.

 

“Those lil fuckers hurt Sasuke-kun and you just let them walk away? What the hell happened?”

 

“I didn’t let them do anything, brat!” he said, towering over her, “Those guys were no joke! You should know, they were about to kidnap you! Hold still,” He reached out and pinched her swollen nose, feeling the break. She squeezed her eyes closed, but let him grind the bones back to the place they belonged. 

 

“Well, yeah but-“ she grunted. He let go of her nose, which was bleeding again.

 

“But nothing! Get your shit and let’s go to another hotel!” He said, turning her around and pushing her into the room. 

 

“Why?” She whined. He paused.

 

“Cause the enemy knows about the location of our room, thanks to your so kindly opening the door to-“

 

“It’s because you don’t wanna wind up stuck with the repair bill, isn’t it?” She said, looking up at him in a bemused sort of way. Jiraiya’s mouth closed with a click of teeth.

 

“Maybe,”

 

“You’re so lame,” she sighed, walking back into the room and laying Sasuke out gently on the bed before moving to pick up her things. Jiraiya did the same, thinking it over.  _ Now, the Akatsuki want the kid. It’s gotta be ‘cause of the nine tails, that’s obvious. And Itachi would have known the name too, Naruto Uzumaki, the jinchuriki of the nine tails, cause he was in Konoha at that time, in the academy. It makes sense. _

 

He watched as Naru threw her pack over her shoulder and scooped Sasuke back up, a small crease between her eyebrows as his head flopped backward. She adjusted him so that his head fell on her shoulder again, making sure his neck wasn’t strained. Jiraiya frowned. The kid was a hot head, and she let her emotions make her decisions for her. It might not have been a good idea to pair her up with someone who was so ambitious and so keen on self destruction.

 

It was like pouring boiling water into a frozen glass. A recipe for disaster. But the expression on her face when she looked down at him, like her whole world had ground to a halt because he might not be okay. He knew that look. It was too late to try to fix it if it had been a mistake. All there was to do was hope it hadn’t been.

 

She turned to him, and he realised he had been fiddling with the fastenings on his bag for a good two minutes.

 

“What are you doing, Pervy Sage?” She snapped, pulling Sasuke into her like he wasn’t any heavier than Gamakichi. He grimaced at her.

 

“You’re too young for boys,” He snapped, “You know that right?”

 

She rolled her eyes, “Boys, girls, dating in general. I don’t wanna do anything other than kick ass and take names. Just ask Kiba-chan,”

 

“Who the hell is Kiba?”

 

“My friend who everyone says has a crush on me,” She said, walking out of the room, “I’m not entirely convinced, but I  _ guess _ it’s possible,” She looked up and down the hallway, and jumped in surprise. Jiraiya rushed forward, worried that the Akatsuki had returned, but a large sandal came out of nowhere and straight into his face. He fell backward, thudding to the ground painfully.

 

“Gai-Sensei! It’s good to see you!” He heard Naru chirp, “But why did you kick the old perv in the face? I’m not complaining or anything, but-”

 

Jiraiya swore, sitting up and glowering at the man who was standing in front of Naru. He was looking ashamed, rubbing the back of his head. “Are you stupid or something?” Jiraiya shouted.

 

“Oh… Sorry Master Jiraiya, I didn’t realise it was you, I thought-”

 

“No, you didn’t think, that’s the problem!” Jiraiya barked, jumping to his feet and pointing to himself, “Do I look like an Akatsuki member to you?”

 

“A what?” Gai asked, looking down at Naru, who shrugged. 

 

“Nevermind. We’re making progress here, but the kid is down and out. Itachi did something to him,”

 

Gai looked down at Sasuke, who was still in Naru’s arms. He grimaced, “It looks like he did the same thing to him that he did to Kakashi-sensei,” He looked up at Jiraiya again. “They came to the village first, and Kakashi-sensei held him off... but he’s been unconscious ever since. We can’t do anything for him, we don’t know anything about what he did,”

 

Naru inhaled deeply, and Jiraiya stuck his finger in his ear, just in time for her to start yelling at maximum volume, “What do you mean he _ got Kakashi-sensei _ ? What do you mean you _ can’t do anything for him _ ? Does that mean you can’t fix Sasuke-kun? What kind of useless- Look at him!” She shook Sasuke, who flopped uselessly in her arms, “Is he just gonna be a fucking… a…”

 

“A vegetable?” Jiraiya suggested, his finger still in the ear nearest to her as Gai flinched at the screaming child.

 

“Is he just gonna be a vegetable forever?” She said, flopping the poor boy around. Gai looked down at the distressed girl, obviously fishing for a way to reassure her and get her to stop bellowing at him.

 

“No, he just needs to rest a little and rec-”

 

“Rest a little? He’s a fucking vegetable now! Look at him! He’s not even a good vegetable! He’s a fucking turnip! He’s no good to me like this! Forget chakra pushups! He can’t even be sarcastic like this! And you’re telling me he needs rest? Fuck you, Gai-sensei, sir!”

 

Jiraiya pulled his hand away from his ear and grabbed hers, dragging her over to him with a snarl. “You can’t talk to adults like that you little shi-”

 

“Fuck you even more, Pervy Sage! Why’d you bother with Kisame? You shoulda left him to me and saved Sasuke-kun,”

 

“Kisame was kicking your ass in, kid,” He growled, pinching her ear so hard one of her earrings bent, “and you are always my main priority. Now...” He looked back at Gai, “Sorry ‘bout the brat, anyway, can you get Sasuke-san back to the village for me? We can’t afford to lose this lead,”

 

“Of course! And don’t worry about it, Naru is just overwhelmed with the feelings of youth!” Gai said, grinning and giving him a thumbs up. 

 

“...Right,” Jiraiya said, narrowing his eyes slightly. They both looked at Naru, who was frowning.

 

“What do you mean, take him back to the village?” She said, voice returning back to her usual obnoxious volume. Jiraiya frowned at her.

 

“Hand Sasuke-san over to Gai, so that he can take him to the hospital in Kono-”

 

“I will reiterate: Fuck you. Gai-sensei  _ just said _ there’s nothing anyone there can do for him. I’m not handing him to anyone,” She snapped, pulling Sasuke into her again and turning away, making her earring tear her ear slightly in Jiraiya’s still vice-like grip.

 

_ I was right. These two are NOT a good idea together. _

 

“Naru, you won’t have time to look after him and train. You need to let him go to the hospital,” He said, trying to keep his voice calm. Naru snapped her head toward him, ripping the earring out entirely. She ignored the blood that dripped down onto her shoulder as she pouted.

 

“But… Pervy Sage… He’s my best friend,”

 

“And he’ll still be your best friend back at the hospital in Konohagakure, Kid. Now hand him over,” Jiraiya dropped the bloody, bent piece of metal and set his hand on her shoulder, “And what we’re doing will help him too. If anyone can fix your friend, it’s Tsunade. She’s a healer, remember?”

 

She glanced up at Gai, who was looking sympathetically down at her. “Sorry I said Fuck you, Gai-sensei,” She mumbled, shifting her grip on Sasuke slightly and stepping forward, “can you make sure he and Kakashi-sensei are… okay? When you get back? Keep them safe?”

 

“Of course!” Gai exclaimed, but the way he took Sasuke from her was gentle, like he wanted to let her know that he knew how important the boy was to her, “your rival and mine will both be fine, don’t you worry,” He grinned and winked. She smiled.

 

“Okay, Gai-sensei, I believe you!” She winked back and gave him a thumbs-up, “and tell Eyebrows that I’m not coming home till I get Tsunade, and she’ll fix him up for sure!”

 

Gai froze, staring down at Naru, and Jiraiya knew that expression. He’d felt that feeling too. He caught the other man’s eye and nodded.  _ I know. She’s something else.  _ Gai seemed to shake himself and grinned back at her.

 

“I’ll pass it along!” He shifted Sasuke to one arm and gave her a thumbs up right back, “Okay!” He looked back at Jiraiya, “Good luck, I’m sure you’ll be successful!”

 

“Try not to kick anyone else in the face, Gai-sensei,” Jiraiya said, waving him along. Gai let out a laugh and started jogging down the hall, heading toward the hole the Akatsuki had blown in the wall. 

 

“See ya! Keep Sasuke-kun safe!” Naru called out, waving at him. Jiraiya hiked his bag up onto his shoulders and looked at the new tear in her ear. It was a clean line, and it’d heal up fine. 

 

_ She’s like an entirely different kinda person. There’s no way anyone could meet her and not wanna be on her team. God help the Akatsuki if they’re serious about going after her. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jiraiya: Kids With Guns, Gorillaz
> 
> (Drinking Out, (is she real? Is she?)
> 
> Pacifier, (is she real? Is she?)
> 
> Demon Souls, (is she real? Is she?)
> 
> Street Desire)
> 
> Naru: Bomb Through The Breeze, Hannah Wicklund & The Steppin Stones
> 
> Gai: Don't Sit Down 'Cause I've Moved Your Chair, Arctic Monkeys


	57. Naru, And The Burst Bubble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru has a hard time, finally gets something good going, and then finds out she didn't get anything going at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Naru but also poor everyone who has to put up with her

Naru threw the rubber ball away from her in frustration. It bounced off a tree and rocketed back, striking her in the face, right on her freshly set nose. She swore, holding it and stomping on the ball. She had to do twelve of them before Jiraiya would let her take the next step of her training. The problem she was facing was that she couldn’t pop the first damn thing. It wasn’t that she felt incapable of doing it. She likely could with some ease. The now healed wounds on her palms had mixed with the ink that had been there, meaning that she had two deep leaf tattoos, focus points for her chakra that wouldn’t ever fade. No, this wasn’t the same problem she’d had before. Now she had a new obstacle to overcome.

 

She couldn’t take her mind off of Sasuke. Sasuke unconscious in her arms, Sasuke stepping on her chest, the sound of Sasuke screaming as she sat, useless, blind, only feet away as he was tortured. 

 

“Fuck!” She yelled, punching a nearby tree so hard the wood cracked and split vertically, the two halves parting, leaning away from each other, held together only by the tangle of roots at their base. She fell to her knees, tears in her eyes, “fuck…”

 

She hadn’t been able to help him, she’d been useless, she hadn’t saved him. It was her job to save her friends, and when it came down to it she didn't even start. She’d been paralysed with fear, shock and surprise- it had made her weak, and frail, a damsel in distress. She hadn’t been able to save a person who mattered more to her than herself.

 

She looked up, jumping back just in time to avoid the two halves of the broken tree as they fell, the roots ripping apart and cracking the dirt around them as they were wrenched from the earth. The impact made the little rucksack full of rubber balls fall over, spilling them. Two rolled over to her, one hitting each of her shoes and both coming to rest at her feet. She stooped and picked them up.

 

She held her hands out, one little rubber sphere in each, and focussed. She saw them warp with the chakra she was channeling into them. She narrowed her eyes, conjuring up the face of the angel, Itachi, who’d hurt Sasuke, and Kakashi. The red eyes, the graceful lines, the smile. 

 

She closed her eyes completely and snarled. She saw him dropping her, and snapping Sasuke’s wrist. She opened her eyes again, and the rubber ruptured, the sound like gunshots in the quiet clearing. She bent down and picked up two more, taking a deep breath and trying to bottle up that feeling. That…  _ anger _ . Focused, determined. 

 

She pictured his face again, disdainful, looking over his shoulder.  _ ‘Subdue that, just for a moment, will you?’ _ The rubber burst, and she grabbed two more and burst them in seconds, and another pair, and then there weren’t any more. 

 

She stood, panting, staring at the little pieces of broken rubber around her. She looked up, walked forward and grabbed up the empty bag. “Guess Jiraiya was right after all. It’s all about having a focus,” she laughed, half hearted and breathy, and walked out of the clearing. She bought some weird food from a vendor on her way through town, it looked like a bag of chips that the man poured chocolate syrup into, and she happily munched away as she broke into every seedy club in town, until she finally found Jiraiya, speaking in low tones to a young woman in a red dress. 

 

She leaned against a pillar, munching on her chocolate syrup-covered chips and waiting for him to notice her. More and more people were turning to look at her, she was, after all, hard to miss. Even without her jacket, a beat up looking twelve year old kunoichi in neon orange trousers was bound to draw attention to herself. The woman next to Jiraiya noticed first, catching her eye and leaning in,whispering something and pointing over at Naru. Jiraiya’s head snapped up, and Naru jerked her chin upward, crumpling her empty chip packet in her hands and smiling maliciously.

 

“Hey gramps! I went ahead and picked up your ointment. You know, the one for that rash you can’t get rid of? The one on your-”

 

Jiraiya’s hand was over her mouth and he was dragging her out before she could finish her sentence. “You need to quit it. Soon there won’t be a bar or club in this city that I can show my face in, you little-”

 

“I’m ready for the third step,” She interjected, throwing the empty bag in his face. He caught it and glared at her, the corner of his mouth twitching. 

 

“Okay… Here,” He fished the half full bag of balloons out of his bag and threw them in her face. She blinked at them, confused.

 

“I already did this,” She said, looking up at him, “Are you just making this up as you go along Pervy Sage?”

 

“No, I’m not,” he said, pulling a balloon from her bag and blowing it up. He held it in his hand, and then held it out for her to see. She frowned.

 

“Nothing is happening. Are you going senile? How many fingers am I holding up?”

 

“ _I’ll_ hold up a finger in a minute, and that’s not even- Ugh, look,” he pulled out a kunai and popped the balloon, revealing a perfect, condensed rasengan, “This is the last thing you need. Sure, you have power now, sure, but unless you can concentrate that power, and control it, you aren’t going to be able to get the drop on anyone... other than maybe your lil buddy Kiba,” He smiled when she looked at him in surprise, “I pay attention sometimes,”

 

“Okay, uh, your surprising memory aside, what do I do?”

 

“Trial and error, you just need to figure it out for yourself,” He said, indicating the bag, “Also it helps to leave your teacher alone for twenty minutes while he actually completes his mission,”

 

“Don’t talk about yourself in second person, or I’ll put you in a nursing home now instead of later,” she growled, blowing up a balloon and tying it off. It popped as soon as she got going. She swore, earning a dirty look from a passing mother holding the hand of a two year old. Jiraiya waved to her apologetically.

 

“Okay, get out of town and don’t come back till it’s dark, you foul mouthed little shit,” He said, ruffling her hair as she glowered up at him. 

 

“Fine. I’ll meet you back at the hotel, dirty old man,” she spat, turning and stomping down the street. 

 

“There’s chocolate on your face!” He called, waving. She flipped him off, blowing up another balloon as she went.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Rhinestone Eyes, Gorillaz
> 
> Jiraiya: Brianstorm, Arctic Monkeys


	58. Jiraiya, And The Hot Heads

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jiraiya is not prepared for this

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> transitions are most certainly not my forte

Jiraiya was surprised that he actually managed to get what little information that he had that day. He had been expecting Naru to get the hang of this part of her training quickly, like she had the others, but it seemed that control remained her weakest point. He was exhausted, he knew Tsunade was in the city but hadn’t the slightest hint where, and he knew she wouldn't stick around forever. He wasn’t even sure what she’d look like. She’d definitely still look young, he knew that much, but wasn’t sure about anything else.

 

He sighed, looking around at the setting sun. This was turning out harder that he’d thought, and he hadn’t thought it would be easy in the first place. He headed back to the hotel, making his way to the room slowly, thinking hard. He cracked the door and found Naru, sitting cross legged on the floor with her hands in a bowl of ice water and singing to herself, quietly, and very out of tune.

 

“Hey!” he said. She didn’t look around. He stepped into the room, waving at her, “Hey, why didn’t you come get me when you finished your training?”

 

“I didn’t,” She mumbled, still not facing him. He furrowed his brows.

 

“Yeah, why didn’t you?”

 

“No, I mean I didn’t finish my training,” she turned around and pulled her hands out of the water, picking up the empty bag of balloons and throwing them at him, “I ran out of balloons before I figured it out. Popped all of them,” 

 

Jiraiya looked down at the empty bag. “Hey, it’s okay kid,” He said. She looked up at him, eyes red and swollen, but dry. She’d already finished crying. She looked away again, her eyes tracing the corners of the room, the lines where the walls met.

 

“No, it’s not,” She mumbled, shaking the water off her hands and wiping them on her shirt. Jiraiya walked over and ruffled her hair, a now familiar gesture. She pushed his hand away, but he just replaced it with his other. She struggled for a minute, his kind gesture quickly becoming a noogie, but eventually she just slumped, letting him rub her head till her headband fell off with a clink. Her face was screwed up, like she was trying hard not to laugh.

 

“Okay,” he said, smiling down at her. With her hair a bird’s nest and her headband gone, she almost looked like a normal kid. If it hadn't been for for the scars on her face, that was. “We’ll go grab some more before the stores close, and some food while we’re at it. I’ll try to help you out tomorrow,”

 

Naru paused for a second, raking her hands through her hair so it’d stick up again, and then nodded. She picked her headband back up, securing it under her chin and then pulling it around and over her forehead. She smiled, shifting it back and forth slightly, and then bounding toward the door.

 

“Come on! Let’s go!”

 

_ She bounced back quick enough when I mentioned food. _ He thought, following her and chewing on the inside of his cheek. They went into a little brightly lit convenience store first and bought another bag of balloons. The woman at the cash register seemed thrilled about it, asking him a little about himself and saying there weren’t a lot of men who were "such good dads". He leaned on the counter, professing that he was Naru’s uncle and that her father was dead. The girl swooned and gushed- right up until Naru marched up and dragged him away.

 

“Sorry pretty lady! My uncle needs to get home so he can reapply his itch cream!” She called, waving goodbye at the laughing woman. Jiraiya smacked her upside the head.

 

“I told you! You really gotta quit that shit,” He snapped, feeling his face heat up slightly. She just cackled and started blowing up a balloon. She tied it off and put it in her hand, screwing her face up… and the balloon popped. 

 

“Why are you just doing one at a time?”

 

“You only did one when you showed me,” She said, looking up at him. He shook his head.

 

“Just try it with two,” he said, blowing up another balloon and gesturing for her to do the same. She did, and with a balloon in each hand, she narrowed her eyes and held her breath, like she was bracing for something.

 

The balloons didn’t pop. Jiraiya grinned. She closed her eyes completely, and her face turned a little red. The balloons still didn’t pop.

 

“Breathe!” He laughed, “You’re doing it kid!” She gasped, opening her eyes. Jiraiya pulled out a knife and popped the balloons, and there were two rasengan, weak but well formed. Naru let out a whoop and let the rasengan dissipate, and jumping onto Jiraiya in an enthusiastic hug. He pushed her off and ruffled her hair.

 

“Now let’s go get some food,” he grinned, gesturing to a nearby bar. She wrinkled her nose. 

 

“I’m not twenty yet,”

 

“They serve food too,” He said, striding into the bar and dragging Naru with him. She followed reluctantly, and when they entered, they both immediately set eyes on two women talking seriously in a booth in the back of the bar. One curvaceous blonde, one modest dark haired woman, cradling a pig. The blonde was obviously drunk, or at least making her way to it. Jiraiya narrowed his eyes.

 

“Tsunade?”

 

The blonde woman looked up in surprise, shooting unsteadily to her feet, “Jiraiya?”

 

Naru looked between the two of them, then stared in amazement at Tsunade. He knew that expression.  _ She’s sizing her up. That's her 'what exactly can i get away with here' face. _

 

He grabbed her by the head and pushed her ahead of him, forcing her into the booth, and sitting in it himself, effectively blocking the kid in. He leaned in, and hissed in her ear.

 

“If you start yelling, I’ll break your nose again and set it crooked this time, you hear me?”

 

“Gotcha, gotcha,” Naru said, still staring at Tsunade shrewdly. He settled back into his seat, looking at Tsunade appraisingly. She was obviously drunk, and Naru was doing that thing with her face that meant she was about to say something stupid.

 

_ This really isn’t going to end well. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Hard Times, Paramore
> 
> Jiraiya: By The Way, Red Hot Chili Peppers
> 
> Tsunade: Lethal Combination, The Wombats


	59. Naru, and the stupid shit she has to say

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru, as usual, can't hold her tongue. even under threats by two legendary sanin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry It took me so long, i just took in a stray kitten and have been trying to find it a home (I'd keep it but my youngest dog is a hell hound)

Naru had, honestly, expected the dark haired woman to be Tsunade for a split second. But it had been the blonde lady. Not that she had anything against blonde women, she was a blonde, after all, but… still, _this_ was decidedly not what she’d been expecting. The woman was drinking sake like she’d taken stock in the company and resting her chest on the table like it was too heavy for her to hold up, which it probably was. Her arms were toned, but in that girly way that Ino’s were, as though she was afraid of being threatening.

 

“So  _ You’re  _ the one who’s gonna be Hokage? You?” Naru asked, narrowing her eyes at the beautiful woman across from her. Tsunade glanced at her, then back to Jiraiya, who had that look on his face that meant he was considering smothering Naru in her sleep.

 

“Who’s the kid? Is she yours?”

 

“No,” Jiraiya snapped, the same time Naru piped up.

 

“Yes,” She said, glowering at him. He snarled at her, but she just looked back at Tsunade.

 

“In a way. I’m training her,” he amended. Naru nodded slowly.

 

“You? Training a kid? I’d love to see that,” Tsunade said, emptying another cup of sake and leaning back in her chair. Naru felt the woman kick her under the table as she crossed her legs. She didn’t apologise. Naru felt anger twitch in her stomach. Who was this weird lady?

 

“Tsunade, Sarutobi-sensei is dead. You’ve been named as the fifth hokage, as the kid has been so kind as to… uh… inform you,”

 

“Ha!” Tsunade laughed, no humour in her voice, “Yeah, and that’s really a job I wanna do,”

 

“Tsunade, there’s no one else who can do it,”

 

“Besides you, you mean,” She sneered, pouring more sake into her cup and lifting it to her lips. Jiraiya pursed his lips. She scoffed. “I don’t like the odds on that. Or the retirement benefits. Survival rates are one of the main things to consider when looking at a new job, you know. Anyone who signs up to be hokage is taking a fool’s bet,”

 

“Hey! Listen lady!” Naru growled, bristling, but Jiraiya held up his hand and she bit her tongue.

 

“Naru, don’t be rash, for once in your life,” he said. Tsunade laughed, eyeing Naru like a smug classmate, tattling to the teacher. Naru slapped her hand to the table.

 

“This melon chested bimbo is supposed be hokage?” She shouted, standing up and glowering at Jiraiya, jabbing her thumb at Tsunade. Everyone in the bar was staring at her, but she didn’t care. She stared back at Tsunade, who was still looking  _ so damn smug _ , “listen, Old Man Sarutobi died  _ protecting _  Konoha. Maybe you think it’s better to live till you crumble away like an old statue, but the truth is there’s nothing on this earth more worth doing than protecting the people you loved. The old man died doing that. Maybe you wanna konk out sitting at a fuckin slot machine, you vain, vapid old bat, but you’re in the goddamn minority there granny, so watch how you talk,”

 

Tsunade stood, glaring at Naru like she wanted nothing more than to smack her full in the face, “You need to watch your damn tone, you little-”

 

“You can tell me to watch my tone when you’re hokage,” Naru spat, climbing straight up onto the table, “Till then you can go fuck yourself you hag,”

 

“I’m not gonna be the damn hokage,” Tsunade said, standing and propping one leg up on the table, facing Naru eye to eye. Jiraiya put his head in his hands.

 

“Then you can’t tell me to do shit, ever,” Naru sneered. Tsunade pointed at her, swaying a little.

 

“Listen brat, you’re lucky I don’t kick your little ass. From the looks of it the only muscle you don’t use is your damn brain,”

 

“Kick my ass, I don’t care! Come on! Let’s take this outside!” Naru yelled, walking straight over the table and jumping down off of it. She stomped into the dark alley, tapping her foot until Tsunade, the dark haired woman, and Jiraiya followed her out.

 

“Listen, kid, this is a-” Jiraiya started, but Naru held up her hand in a perfect imitation of him, and he fell quiet, shaking his head and looking away. Tsunade held up her finger.

 

“This is all I’m going to need to beat the shit out of you, brat, just you watch,” Tsunade said, smirking. Naru bristled. 

 

“Okay, fine, but don’t expect me to go easy on you just cause you’re ancient,” Naru snapped, bringing her palms together. She gathered up a bit of chakra, and then conjured up a few clones, sending them at Tsunade, who knocked them out just as easily as Naru had expected. Tsunade scoffed.

 

“Is that all you got?”

 

“I haven’t even started yet,” Naru laughed, conjuring up twenty clones and rushing Tsunade with them. She got close, but neither she, nor any of her clones, landed a hit on Tsunade. She was too fast and her strikes much too hard. Jiraiya hadn’t been kidding. She really was strong. Naru leapt up onto the wall, and brought her hands together again, conjuring the anger, conjuring the calm. She snapped her hands apart, pulling them in different directions, trying to gather up the rasengan.  _ Here goes nothing, I guess. _ She held the rasengan, trying her best to funnel all her strength into them without losing control and charged down at Tsunade. She brought one finger up to her forehead, and flicked.

 

Naru rocketed backward like she’d just been slugged again by Kisame, feeling her rasengan drag aganist the ground, cracking the pavement and sending rubble spraying across the alley. Tsunade looked at Jiraiya, angry for the first time. 

 

“Was that what I thought it was?” She snarled. Naru dusted off her clothes and stood unsteadily. Tsunade tsked, crossing her arms. “What’s the point in teaching her something like that if she’ll never be able to master it?”

 

“I  will be able to master it! And this is only the start! Just you watch!”

 

“That was the fourth Hokage’s jutsu, you’re never going to get the hang of it, you’d need to be jounin level to ever get a hold of it. It took the fourth three years to master it,”

 

“I’ll do that shit in three days,” Naru shouted, holding her fist in front of her face. Tsunade actually laughed, which only egged Naru on. “And when I do, you’ll have to come back to the village and be the hokage,”

 

“I’ll take that bet, brat, but first, tell me. Why do you care so much?”

 

“Because,” Naru said, shifting her headband back and forth, “Konoha needs a hokage, everyone says you’re the best person for the job, even if I can’t see  _ why _ , exactly,” she made a point of looking Tsunade up and down, which only made the woman laugh harder, “But if the village is gonna rebuild, then it needs you, and how can I argue? I need the village to keep going strong for a few more years until I can step up and look after it myself. ‘Cause I’m gonna be the hokage one day, and you can bet on  _ that _ ,” she bit her top lip and then grit her teeth. Sure, it was cheesy, but she was gonna say it anyway. “To be Hokage. That’s my dream,”

 

Tsunade stopped laughing, stopped smiling. She just looked at Naru like she didn’t really see her. Like it wasn’t Naru standing there.

 

“Stupid dream, kid,” She said, shaking her head, “But I’ll see you in three days,” with that, she gestured to the dark haired woman behind her. “Come on, Shizune, let’s go,” and they left. Jiraiya picked Naru up by the back of her tank top, suspending her a foot off the ground like a kitten.

 

“You,” he snarled, turning her to face him, “Are the worst thing that ever happened to me,”

 

“That haircut is the worst thing that ever happened to you. I’m just the first runner up,” Naru said, disgruntled. Jiraiya just held her out like she was infectious and carried her home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Starting To Spin, Airways
> 
> Tsunade: Death Of An Interior Decorator, Death Cab For Cutie
> 
> Jiraiya: A Certain Romance, Arctic Monkeys 
> 
> (Don't get me wrong, oh there's boys in bands  
> And kids who like to scrap with pool cues in their hands  
> And just 'cause he's had a couple o' cans  
> He thinks it's all right to act like a dickhead)
> 
> Poor Shizune, who has to put up with them all: just say I'm surrounded by idiots loudly to yourself


	60. Jiraiya, And The Kid Who Isn't Anyone's And Is Everyone's All At Once

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jiraiya isn't a dad and doesn't want to be, but he's also a member of the dad corps*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Father-daughter relationships are neither my forte nor are they something i have any positive experience with, but father figures? bitch i collected those when i was a *youth*

Jiraiya was not thrilled, to say the least. Ever since he brought Naru back to the hotel the night before, he hadn’t seen her. She’d gone to sleep after him, and was gone by the time he woke up, head pounding and vision swimming. He went out to the side of town and could hear her, yelling and felling trees nearby. From the sound of it, she was angrier than he’d ever known her to be, and he’d seen her pretty damn angry.

_ Best not to mess with her. Let her work it out. _ He spent the day after that in clubs, watching them get steadily busier as the day progressed. He wasn’t interrupted, there were no wild yelling matches or long winded rants about scandals conjured out of some kid’s imagination. She didn’t want his company or his help.

Jiraiya was  _ not thrilled. _ The annoying little brat had just run off and decided she could figure it all out by  _ herself _ and that she didn’t need him, huh? Well, that was fine. He didn’t want to be constantly bothered by the snot nosed little shit. Maybe he’d finally get some real research done. 

He turned to the attractive woman beside him and tried to strike up a conversation, but she was dull, and vapid, and… tepid at best. Boring. She was simply boring. It was easy, these women were easy. Some money and a few drinks and they were ready to let him have a peek at anything he wanted to see. This was not as entertaining as it had once been. It had been his only motivation a few weeks ago, the only thing he would do purely for his own enjoyment.

Now he felt like he had more important things he should be doing. He thought about when Tsunade had asked if Naru was his daughter. How he’d expected her to sneer and scoff and say ‘yeah right’. But instead, she contradicted him, entirely unabashed. She’d told Tsunade that she was his kid. Sure, maybe she had only said it to annoy him or to shock Tsunade, but the look she’d given him after she’d heard him say no was sticking with him somehow.

Like it had annoyed her or something. Like she’d wanted him to say ‘yeah,’ or ‘so what if she is?’. He sighed. He just wanted to chase some skirts, see if he could get in a good feel or two. Why was he having so much trouble taking his mind off the little squirt? It was as though he actually was some kind of father, worrying about his only child having a hard time at school. He downed another beer. That was the last thing he needed. To feel responsible for some little demonic brat just because she was Minato’s pineapple-headed spawn would be the cherry on top of the shit sundae that was his life. He flagged down a waitress and asked for another, and her number while she was at it. She laughed, she was used to it, the lines he dropped bored both of them and she handed him a check with his beer when she came back. 

He looked at the time as he drank. It was half past twelve and he hadn’t actually managed a single score. He paid the bill and left a generous tip, stretching and walking back to the hotel. He expected her there, cross legged, her hands in an ice bowl, or maybe having summoned Gamakichi and playing twenty questions. But the room was dark, and empty, and he was too tired and drunk to stay up and wait for her. He collapsed on the bed and kicked his sandals off, frowning into his pillow. 

The little brat was worrying the shit out of him.  _ Rather than annoying the shit out of me, for once.  _ He growled in his own head,  _ This kid is more trouble than she’s worth. _ But even in his own head, he was shouted down. He hadn’t even really meant it at all, and he hadn’t even said it out loud, but he still felt bad. Really, really bad.

_She's worth more trouble than anything else I've ever known and that's the stupid, annoying, loudmouthed truth._   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jiraiya: Sloom, Of Monsters And Men


	61. Naru, And The Eye That Makes The Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru gets frustrated and talks to her soul-roomate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kurama loves his shitty two legged child of a roomate

Her hands were burned worse than ever, she was panting, it was threatening to rain and another tree was falling in front of her. Sure, she was knocking them down, but it was taking far too many hits for each one. Four or five rasengan, for trees that were barely larger than saplings. It was pathetic. She was pathetic. She was sweaty and starting to smell, but she wouldn’t let herself quit for at least another four hours. 

 

Naru was getting the motion down, she’d figured out the best way to start two at once, with her penchant for opposite directions, was to bring her hands together and make a fast, unscrewing motion, flicking her wrists as she drew them apart. She couldn’t seem to balance all the power she needed with the control she had to maintain. If she was maintaining control, her power was too weak, if she had the power, her control was shoddy. 

 

She tried again, feeling her skin burn terribly in the shape of the leaf, a deep, bubbling brand in each hand as she crammed as much power as she could, and then clapped her hands together into a thick tree trunk. Wood chips flew, spraying her and cutting up her clothes and skin, but when her jutsu dissipated, there was less damage that she’d hoped. Useless. She was fucking useless.

 

She did it again, and again. It took five tries before the tree fell, and it toppled right on top of her. Exhausted and unfocused, she didn’t get out of the way in time, and as she hit the ground, her head struck something, hard. 

 

**_“HELLO, KIT,”_ **

 

_ “Hey Kurama. Shit,” _

 

_ She was in the room again. Red couch behind her,  Kurama watching her through the glass panel in the wall. He snarled. _

 

_ “ _ **_YOU SEEM LESS THAN THRILLED TO SEE ME,”_ ** _ He said, tails swishing. Naru sighed and flopped down into the couch. _

 

_ “Less than thrilled in general, Kurama. I can’t get a hang of this new jutsu, no matter what I do,” She looked over at him, reaching over and grabbing an apple, tossing it in the air and catching it. The Kyuubi settled, curling himself up and crossing his forelegs, regarding her with a rather quizzical eye. _

 

_ “ _ **_WHAT ABOUT THIS JUTSU IS GIVING YOU PAUSE? YOU’RE THE VESSEL OF THE NINE TAILS, NO MAN’S POWER IS BEYOND YOUR REACH,”_ **

 

_ “Well this jutsu was created by the fourth Hokage,” she frowned, “It took him three years to get it right. And I made a bet I could do it in three days,” _

 

_ The demon threw his head back and laughed, almost toppling over in his mirth, forced to uncross his legs in order to catch himself. “ _ **_THAT’S MY CHILD! YOU MADE A BET YOU’D SURMOUNT THIS JUTSU IN MERE DAYS? FINALLY YOU ARE BEGINNING TO REALISE YOUR OWN POTENTIAL,”_ **

 

**_“_ ** _ Don’t get too excited, Today is the second day and I’m nowhere near mastering it,” _

 

_ “ _ **_I WILL ASK AGAIN, KIT. DO NOT MAKE ME ASK A THIRD TIME. WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS JUTSU THAT IS CHALLENGING YOU?”_ **

 

_ She looked at her hands, healed, but branded in black. Her frown deepened. “I guess my problem lies in control, I have the power, but I can’t keep a damn handle on it,” _

 

_ Kurama nodded, closing his eyes. “ _ **_I SEE. WELL, CONTROL REQUIRES CALM. IF YOU NEED TO, CONJURE TO MIND SOMETHING LIKE STILL WATER, OR AN IMMOVABLE ROCK FACE. MAKE YOURSELF CALM, AND YOU WILL HAVE CONTROL,”_ **

 

_ “But won’t I sacrifice power if I’m forcing myself to be calm?” _

 

_ Kurama stood, nine tails swishing, and drew close to the glass, so only his eyes were visible through the massive window. “ _ **_POWER DOESN’T ONLY LIE IN ANGER OR FRUSTRATION. TRUE POWER COMES FROM YOUR SOUL. AND IN YOUR SOUL, THERE IS ME. YOU WILL NOT NEED TO SACRIFICE CALM WITH ME RESTING WITHIN YOU, KIT,”_ **

 

Naru jerked awake and threw the tree off of herself with a start. Her hands, when she looked down at them, were healed, and she was a lot less exhausted. She stood, unsteady, but quick, and looked around her self-made clearing. She bit her top lip, chewing it nervously. Something that made her calm?  _ Still water and a rock face? Yeah RIGHT... the only thing I think about when I see still water and rock faces is ‘Do a flip!’ No. I need something else. Not something that makes me angry, like Itachi. Something that makes me wanna keep my cool.  _

 

She flexed her hands. She thought of Konohagakure, with its high walls and happy citizens. No, she was too patriotic to make that anything but exciting. She thought of the woods, wind howling through them, with tall branches, good for climbing.  _ Do. A. Flip.  _ No, not any better than the pond and the cliff. What made her want to keep her shit together? What kept her head on straight?

 

She smiled. Sakura, and Sasuke. Well, maybe not Sasuke, he got under her skin like ringworm, but Sakura made her wanna do better, keep her cool. Sakura made her feel like she wasn’t doing enough, and like she had to focus. Sakura brought the calm.

 

Most of the time. 

 

So she thought about Sakura, and Sasuke, one of the last missions they’d gone on before the exams started. It had been straight forward, Kakashi had spent most of it with his nose in one of his dirty novels. Had it been Makeout Violence or Makeout Paradise? One of the two. But they’d all sat around the campfire after the woman they were escorting got home safely, and talked about what the stars looked like. Sasuke had said he didn’t see anything but a bunch of dots, Kakashi had ignored them, but his eye had crinkled in that way that meant he was smiling behind that mask of his, and she and Sakura had talked about the constellations. Sakura knew a ton by heart, and Naru made some up. Even Sasuke snorted when she claimed that the ramen constellation was right above the big dipper, and the big loser constellation was directly above Sasuke’s sleeping mat. 

 

She smiled, closed her eyes, and started gathering up chakra. It didn’t hit her like a wave, crashing up out of her, it came up slowly, with a rumble, like a geyser. It gave her time to prepare, to think out what she wanted to happen. She put her hands together, like she was holding a ball, and quickly twisted them apart, whipping her arms out wide, she snapped her eyes open, and charged toward a new tree, slamming a hand into each side and toppling it. Sure, it wasn’t a big tree, but it was down, and in one hit. She smiled. Progress. She tried to conjure up that feeling again, of peace, letting it travel through her chest and down her spine. There it was. Perfect. 

 

Now she could work on increasing the striking power for real.

 

She took a break after another hour to eat, stuffing her face with all the food she’d bought on the way out to train in the early morning. She’d have to go back into town before heading to the hotel, but it was worth it. Even _her_ chakra reserves were starting to feel a little depleted after all the trees she’d cleared. She decided to do some pull ups on one of the few large trees left standing, as she thought about what Kurama had told her.  _ Power comes from the soul, huh? _

 

Well, her soul was a damn mess and a crowded one at that. She did around twenty pull ups and then went back to practicing her rasensan. If she really tried, she could condense them smaller, which sped up their rotation, and made them more powerful. Following that train of thought, then if she started large, then slowly drew the concentration in tighter, then it made the jutsu stronger by a considerable amount. She smiled to herself, felling a massive oak tree in two strikes. She was really getting somewhere.

 

The sun set, and the stars came out, one by one, and when it was too dark to really see what she was doing, she went back into town. She stopped by a little corner store and grabbed more energy bars and some other junk food, filling up her bag and walking back to the hotel. The room was dark, and she did her best to be quiet and not wake the sleeping Sage as she quickly changed and climbed into bed. The old man grunted and rolled over, his arm flopping out into the space between their beds. She looked at him, and then got up again. She pulled a chocolate chip energy bar out of her bag and placed it gently into his hand, closing his fist around it and folding his arm back onto his chest. He smelled like liquor and perfume, and even in the half light cast by the streetlamp outside the hotel window, she could see body glitter on his weird fishnet shirt. She smiled.

  
_ He's enjoying himself, at least. _ She clambered back into her own bed and pulled the sheets over herself, still smiling as she settled into bed, excited to tell Kurama about her progress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Sheep Go To Heaven, Cake
> 
> Kurama: Clint Eastwood, Gorillaz
> 
> (Finally, someone let me out of my cage  
> Now time for me is nothing 'cause I'm counting no age  
> Now I couldn't be there  
> Now you shouldn't be scared  
> I'm good at repairs  
> And I'm under each snare  
> Intangible)


	62. Tsunade, Day Drinking and Guilty Moments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsunade starts drinking early, but not early enough

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> honestly same.

Tsunade was chewing on her thumb nail, sitting at the bar. Today was the last day for both her bet with Naru and the deadline for her decision with Orochimaru. She sensed someone behind her and tensed, but he came in and settled next to her. Jiraiya.

 

“You’re drinking this early in the day? It’s barely three,” He said, ordering another bottle of sake. She shot him a sideways glance as she downed another cup.

 

“Looks like you’re about to start drinking too,”

 

“It’s not drinking early if you didn’t stop from the night before,” He laughed, pouring himself a cup. She snorted.

 

“I don’t think that’s how it works,”

 

“Trust me,” He smiled, “I know about these things. I wanted to talk,”

 

“You are talking,” She said, the rim of her cup resting on her bottom lip as she looked straight ahead not meeting his eye. He sighed.

 

“I want you to listen to me,”

 

“Do be reasonable, Jiraiya,”

 

“Whatever Orochimaru has offered you has a catch, you know that, you aren’t stupid,”

 

“I just made a bet with a twelve year old girl that I’d take a job with a 100% fatality rate if she won,”

 

“Okay, okay, but  you aren’t  _ that _ stupid. Not stupid enough to think he’d ever just let you walk away with anything that’d actually do you good. Whatever he offered you isn’t worth what he’s asking for in return. And you know if you choose to help him, I'll have to hunt you down and kill you as a traitor,”

 

“Have you been watching your student?” Tsunade deflected, shooting him a very sharp glare. Jiraiya looked almost guilty. 

 

“I’ve been giving her some space,”

 

“You know she’s been clearing out trees outside of town like she owns a lumber mill, right?”

 

“She does that when she’s upset,” He shrugged. Tsunade stared at him in disbelief.

 

“She knocks down forests when she’s upset?”

 

“What do you want me to say? You saw what she’s like. Let the kid play in the woods,” He drank another cup of Sake. “She reminds me of Nawaki, they’re a lot alike, you know,” A glacier slid into her stomach, sending a chill through her bones. She knew what she was going to do. Tsunade had the powder in her pocket. He wouldn’t suspect her. Not for a second. She chewed the inside of her cheek.

 

“I noticed. She’s Minato’s, isn’t she?”

 

“How’d you know? Was it by any chance the fact she’s his fucking clone?” Jiraiya said. Another cup.  _ And he’s talking to me about my damn drinking habits. _ While he was looking the other way, she slipped the powder into his drink and replaced the rest of the powder in her pocket.

 

“She’s almost got the rasengan down. I’d be frightened I was going to lose our little bet, if she’d said three weeks and not three days. She’s a pretty amazing kid,” She said, raising her own cup. He poured out more sake into his cup and raised his.

 

“She’s a little shit,” He said. Tsunade laughed.

 

“I didn’t say she wasn’t,” they both drank. Tsunade started counting down mentally, guilt welling up in her throat as she watched the sedative hit him. It was fast, but not fast enough. He looked at her, his vision likely swimming as she downed another cup and paid for both their bottles.

 

“Tsunade… What did you do?”

 

“Sorry Jiraiya, but I can’t have you getting in my way tomorrow,” She said, honesty in every syllable. He gripped his fists, but then fell forward onto the bar. 

 

She got up, throwing a tip onto the counter, and left. She chewed the inside of her cheek, tasting blood. She knew what she had to do. She just wished it would be easier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tsunade: What You Know, Two Door Cinema Club
> 
> Jiraiya: She Said, Sundara Karma


	63. Naru, and The Bet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru wakes up, wakes someone up, finds someone else who just woke up, then gets into a fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry

 

Naru awoke to Shizune unconscious on the floor. She leapt out of bed and crouched next to her, carefully prodding her face. Shizune awoke slowly, then jerked upright, staring around.

 

“What happened? Where the hell are we? Nevermind, what the hell are you doing?” Naru asked, tilting her head. Shizune stared at her.

 

“More like how ‘the hell’ are you awake right now? I found you passed out from chakra depletion, you shouldn’t be- You were supposed to be out for two days!”

 

Naru frowned at her. “What, so you tucked me in and took a floor nap? I always recover after a night’s sleep, why are we here?”

 

“We have to go get Tsunade-sama! This is bad, very bad!” She quickly stood, looking around. Naru frowned. “I have to go!” Shizune said, rushing to the window. Naru followed, but before they could leave, a knife flew by Shizune’s face, lodging in the wall beside her. Jiraiya stumbled onto the ledge and stopped there. He was unsteady, and had to brace himself on the window frame for balance. 

 

“She roofied me, that double crossing-”

 

“Shit, you look worse than usual, old man! How’d she drug you?” Naru snapped, “You too busy admiring her shirt?” She leapt out the window and peered up into his sweaty face. He grunted.

 

“Whatever she gave me makes it hard to move, and damn near impossible to control my chakra,” Jiraiya grunted, shifting again, “Leave it to Tsunade to figure out a way to make a sedative that even a ninja couldn’t detect in time,”

 

Naru felt a crawling feeling under her skin, and turned around, staring across the rooftops and scanning for… someone. Jiraiya noticed, and looked around too.

 

“What is it, kid?”

 

“Someone’s here. We have to go,” Naru didn’t look back at him, she just kept her eyes fixed on the area behind them, looking at the shadowy corners under rooftops, “Shizune-san, do you know where they’re meeting?”

 

“Yes,”

 

“Then,” Naru finally brought her gaze back to the woman’s face, eyes blazing, “What are we waiting for?” She looked at Jiraiya, and held out her hand, “Old man, here,” He hesitated, looking at her.

 

“I can stand by myself,” 

 

“I’m not offering to help you up,” She snarled, snatching the man’s hand and pouring some chakra into him, like she’d done with Shikamaru. Jiraiya flinched and hissed, then his eyes grew wide.  _ Shikamaru never acted like it hurt, Jiraiya must be a real wimp. _ She thought, smirking a little to herself. She let him go and he shook his hand, flexing it and frowning at her.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me you could do that?” He asked. She shrugged at him.

 

“Never came up. Now, that should be enough to get you steady so you don’t slow us down,”

 

“Hey!” He snapped, moving to give her a noogie, but Shizune stopped him.

 

“What did you just do?” She asked, standing. Naru followed, and then Jiraiya. They all moved out, toward the temple. Naru frowned.

 

“I just gave him some chakra, only a little. I guess it’s like… a shock to his system? A way to get it working again,”

 

Shizune stared incredulously at her. “What gave you that idea?”

 

“Well one of my friends got hurt in the chunin exams, and like you just saw, I heal like nothing else, so I just kept thinking ‘if only I could heal my friend like I can heal myself,’” She zigzagged a little to avoid a cat walking across a ledge, then looked over at the woman, “I kinda figured I could give other people chakra, since I’ve got so much. So next time my other buddy and I got into a fight, and he started flagging, I just…” She made a violent sort of motion with her open hand, and shrugged again.

 

“That’s incredible!” Shizune said, “Your potential as a medical nin is-”

 

“Ew. No thanks,” Naru said, wrinkling her nose, “I’m a fighter, not a healer,”

 

“Medical nin  _ are _ fighters,” Shizune said, defensively. Naru opened her mouth to reply, but Jiraiya chimed in before she could.

 

“No point in trying to talk to her about it, I think we’ll all see exactly how well medi nin fight in a little while,” He said, stumbling a little, but righting himself quickly. They reached the temple, which looked like a bomb had gone off in the outer walls. Naru felt her face go pale.

“What happened here?”

 

“Looks like Tsunade got a little upset,” Jiraiya sighed, “Nasty temper, that one,”

 

“Like Sakura. Where the hell is the grouchy old bat now?”

 

Jiraiya looked at Shizune, “What exactly was it that Orochimaru promised Tsunade?”

 

“It doesn’t matter, this… This means she said no. She didn’t heal his arms,” Shizune said. Naru narrowed her eyes.

 

“Okay, hello? Earth to adults? This can wait! We need to find her!” Just as she said it, she noticed green fabric, crumpled to the ground, “Man, I wish Kiba was here,” she said, picking it up and showing the two grown ups.

 

“What could your boyfriend possibly do with her jacket?” Jiraiya snapped. Naru blushed.

 

“He’s not my boyfriend! And he’s got a really good sense of smell, he could track her!” Naru said, bringing the jacket closer to herself and looking around. She sighed, but Shizune seemed delighted.

 

“Great idea! Tonton!” She said, snatching the jacket away and holding it out to the little pig (which had apparently followed them). The little creature ran up and sniffed it. “Which way?” Shizune asked, looking intensely down at the piglet. It oinked and ran toward the woods, and they followed, but not before Jiraiya and Naru shared a look.

 

“Did you notice the pig earlier?” she asked, in a low voice. Jiraiya smiled and shook his head. Naru took a deep breath, and they picked up their pace, catching up to Shizune and Tonton again.

 

It wasn’t long before they could hear them. Loud crashing, as though they were rushing toward Gamabunta tap dancing. Naru would have laughed at the image if it hadn’t been for the fact that it was Tsunade probably taking that beating, and despite everything, she didn’t want the old lady to get hurt.

 

“How are we going to do this?” Shizune asked, looking at Jiraiya. He shrugged.

 

“Wing it, I guess,”

 

“What? We can’t just wing it! We’re walking into a fight between two sanin here, not some kind of bar fight!”

 

“We can’t make a strategy when we don’t really know what we’re walking into. The only thing we can do is wing it,” Jiraiya snapped back. Naru nodded and pulled out a smoke bomb.

 

“Yeah, but we can still get a little tricky with it,” She said, smiling. Jiraiya rolled his eyes.

 

“Of course you have one of those on you. What were you planning on doing with that?”

 

“I like to set them off in people’s showers, but… this is good too,” She said as they came upon the clearing where the fight was happening. There were fresh craters everywhere, and Kabuto and Tsunade were facing down. He was on his knees, twitching awkwardly, and she was obviously trying to heal herself while he was… seizing? Shizune grit her teeth.

 

“What is going on here? Who is that kid?”

 

“Kabuto. He’s a total creep,” Naru said, “Always calls me ‘Naruto’, that fucking bastard...”

 

“Why’s he call you that?” Shizune asked, looking confused. Jiraiya snorted quietly.

 

“It’s her real name,” He said. Naru shot him a dirty look, and was about to start telling him off when Shizune gasped. Kabuto had turned around, and Tsunade wasn’t ready to deflect him. Naru whipped the smoke bomb at them and leapt out of the trees, the other two following closely. 

 

They stood between them, all three ninja facing Kabuto. The smoke bomb was still hissing. Naru looked past Kabuto and saw…

 

_ That must be Orochimaru. He looks like a big ass creep too. Birds of a feather, I guess.  _ The man smiled, staring at Jiraiya. Naru felt her skin crawl, and wanted to run, but just ground her heel into the dirt. She knew that chakra.  _ This is the same person who bit Sasuke and turned him into a were-asshole. Bitch. _

 

“It’s been a long time, Jiraiya, my old friend,” The man said, his voice sickly sweet. Jiraiya snarled.

 

“You still look like shit, Orochimaru, buddy,” Jiraiya bit back, his hands curling into fists at his sides. Orochimaru laughed, and Naru felt sick. She hated him. She wanted to rip his stupid, limp arms off and beat him to death with them. Kabuto smiled at Naru, tilting his head. She snarled.

 

“Naruto! Good to see you, I wasn’t expecting you to make an appearance, but, you always do seem to show up at the most inconvenient times,” He said, making a move like he wanted to step toward her. She crouched, bracing to attack.

 

“Fuck off, you feather duster-headed piece of garbage. Get any closer and I’ll rip your throat out,” She spat, coiling into herself like a spring. Kabuto smiled, moving like he wanted to test that, but Tsunade charged forward at the same time, shoving Jiraiya out of the way and springing into the air, moving to punch Kabuto.

 

“Get out of the damn way! They’re mine!” She shouted, but Kabuto sprang back as she brought her fist down, breaking the ground like an asteroid. Naru’s knees went weak.  _ Whoa! _ Tsunade went toe to toe, swinging at Kabuto like she wanted to take his head clean off. “So, you have control. But you’re still not at one hundred percent,” She said, driving him back against a rock and moving for another killer punch. But Kabuto pulled a knife and suddenly slashed his own arm, spraying blood over both of them.

 

“Actually, your jutsu is all worn off. I am at one hundred percent,” He laughed. Naru expected Tsunade to follow through on her punch,  _ she’s not hurt. What is she doing? _ But Tsunade was frozen, shaking. Naru blinked.  _ No. No!  _

 

“Come on Tsunade baa-chan! Kick his creepy ass!” Naru yelled. Kabuto turned and smirked at her as Tsunade collapsed, trembling like a leaf.

 

“Oh, Naruto, always relying on someone else,” He sneered, stepping over the fallen sanin and toward her, “All that time spying on you little brats, and all I got on you is that you’re a sub par ninja with good luck. You rely on those around you and chance in order to get by,” His sneer became a grin as he stepped closer again, “I mean, could you ever have even gotten this far if it weren’t for dear little Sasuke picking up your slack?”

 

Naru grit her teeth and clenched her fists. “You don’t know shit about me, Kabuto,”

 

“I know that you’re just a little girl, in over your head,” He laughed, holding his hand out at her head level, “I mean, even given that you’re a jinchuriki, look around you? You’re nothing. You’re dust. A little kid playing ninja. Stay out of this, or I’ll kill you,” he gripped his fist, “Myself,”

 

“Fuck you!” Naru spat, charging forward, splitting into five clones. Kabuto braced, gripping his knife and grinning, slashing two clones down, but Naru slide between his legs and kicked him hard on the small of the back, sending him forward. One of her clones grabbed his ponytail, yanking it back, and she fell back, making to drag him to the ground, but he bent his arm behind himself and stabbed her, and dispersed the other clone on the upswing. Naru was on her feet, swinging in with a hard punch, but Kabuto caught her arm and whipped her aside, sending her flying into a rock, which she slammed against with a cry of pain. Jiraiya started forward.

 

“Naru!” He yelled, but Naru had already peeled herself off the boulder and started in on the older ninja, who grabbed her and threw her again, this time into Shizune, who caught her and spat needles out at him. He deflected them using his headband. Naru got back to her feet, but Shizune took her hand, placing it on Tsunade’s shoulder and standing herself. 

“Naru, please look after Tsunade-sama,” She said, glaring at Kabuto, who had rejoined Orochimaru, “I’ll take the creep,”

 

“Shizune-chan! I’ve got this!” Naru protested, starting forward, but Shizune held up her hand, shooting a sharp glance at Naru.

 

“I know, I know, but,” She glared at Kabuto again, “I really wanna hit him,”

 

Naru looked up at the woman, then down at Tsunade, who was still trembling. She nodded. “Kick ass and take names, Shizune-chan,”

 

“Hey! Shizune-san!” Jiraiya piped up, smiling, “Was that you saying you got four eyes?”

 

“Yeah!” Shizune said. They both turned to face the two men across from them. Orochimaru had stripped his bandages off his arms, and they were blackened and dead.

 

“Can I do anything at all?” Naru asked, crossing her fingers, ready to conjure up more clones. Jiraiya frowned. 

 

“No, stay back here and look after Tsunade. Uhh,” He hesitated, looking suspiciously like he was coming up with something, “Protect her with your life, okay? They may try to uh, take her hostage,”

 

“You can just say stay out of the way!” Naru snapped. Jiraiya smiled at her.

 

“Okay, just stay out of the way,” He cracked his knuckles, and bit his thumb, spreading the blood across his other fingers. Kabuto and Orochimaru also moved to summon something, and they both slammed their hands to the ground at the same time.

 

Orochimaru and Kabuto stood on the head of a massive, coiling, two headed snake. Jiraiya had summoned…

 

Gamakichi.

 

“YO! Naru-chan! What’s poppin?” 

 

“Not much Kichi-chan, but we’re in the middle of a real life battle. You better scoot,” Naru said, picking the little toad up and popping him on her head so he could get a good look at the opposition.

 

“Yikes, why’d you call me here?” Gamakichi asked, leaning forward and frowning. Naru laughed.

 

“I didn’t! It was Pervy Sage. He’s having chakra troubles,” Naru turned to her teacher and narrowed her eyes, “And speaking of, I gave you a jump and this is what you give me? Look at them! They’re on snakes the size of buildings! Kichi-chan, no offense,”

 

“None taken, You know, she’s right Jiraiya, sir,”

 

“See if you can do any better, you little snot!” Jiraiya snapped. Gamakichi patted Naru’s head.

 

“Still playing the fool Jiraiya? After all this time, you’re still pathetic,” Orochimaru taunted, his useless arms swaying slightly as the snake tasted the air. Naru snarled.

 

“Guess it’s on me, huh, Kichi-chan?” Naru said, frowning. She bit her thumb and performed the signs as quickly as she could, slamming her hand to the ground and summoning… 

 

A chubby version of Gamakichi.

 

“And you have the nerve-” Jiraiya start, putting his hands on his hips and looking down at the little toad.

 

“Shove it, pervert,” Naru snapped, looking down at the little frog. “Hey, pal,  I’m real sorry about all this, but you and Kichi-chan have really gotta scram,” She pointed over to a cluster of rocks, “Get gone,”

 

“Okay, okay, catch ya later, Naru-chan!” Gamakichi said, jumping off her head and hopping away. The other toad just sat there, looking around. Gamakichi paused, “Gamatatsu! Lil bro! Lets go!” Gamatatsu started, and hopped away, waving a quick goodbye to Naru.

 

Just as they got out of range, the two enemy ninja came rushing in on the heads of their snakes, crashing into the ground. Naru leapt away, grabbing Tsunade and pulling her aside, staying low.  _ Damn I hope Tonton is okay! _

 

She heard, rather than saw, Shizune clash with Kabuto, metal against metal, and saw Jiraiya in the air, Orochimaru rushing forward. He did something that sent the snakes into a pit of dark water, and landed on their backs. Naru almost smiled, but Shizune called out in pain. Kabuto had gone underground, like she had in the chunin exams, and grabbed her by the ankles. He must have done something really bad to her legs, because she screamed again and fell forward as Kabuto clambered out of the earth, grinning. Jiraiya cried out too, and Naru looked desperately around. Naru saw Orochimaru, his teeth sunken into Jiraiya’s neck, like he’d tried to do with Sasuke months before. She grit her teeth.  _ Not Jiraiya too! Damn it! _

 

Kabuto turned to face Naru and Tsunade, and Naru pulled a knife. Clones were no good, not against him. She couldn’t afford to waste chakra on any stupid attempts, not if she wanted to help Jiraiya after this. Kabuto was better than her, she knew, but he was only human. She could afford damage. She just needed to keep him off Tsunade and figure out his weak point.

 

“Tsunade, Tsunade,” Kabuto sneered, walking toward them. “You’re really pathetic. Shaking like a wet rat while a mere child stands in front of you, protecting you? And you were counted amongst the Legendary Sanin alongside Lord Orochimaru? A disgrace,”

 

Tsunade started, and Naru stepped back, closer, practically standing on top of the woman, just in case he tried to come up from behind. Kabuto seemed to think himself above that kind of maneuver, however. He just kept approaching from the front.

 

“And you, Naru, with all your bluster. Can’t find any words? Do you realise, now, that you’re out of your league?”

 

Naru threw her knife at him, which he deflected easily. She drew another.

 

“Honestly, you two deserve each other,” He sneered. Then he was right in front of them, and swinging a fist at Naru. She could easily have dodged it, it was probably what he was expecting, considering that his eyes were fixed on Tsunade and not her, but she took the hit to the center of her chest. She snarled up at him, grabbing his arm and using it to pull him into her fist with as much speed as she could, sending him flying back. But that punch of his hadn’t been a joke, all the air was gone from her lungs. Her ribs were probably cracked. She gasped for air. Kabuto was on his feet again, smiling. She was staggering, clutching her chest.

 

“Back… Off…” She said, glaring at him. He just laughed. 

 

“One hit wonder, huh? You’re already halfway done,” He said, holding his hand flat like a blade. She could tell she didn’t want that anywhere near her.

 

“That means… it’s not a one hit wonder, moron,” She said, spitting some blood out on the ground. She squinted at him. _ I can’t hit a moving target with my rasengan, and I cant hold him, because I need two hands. Clones? But one hit and they  _ are _ out. What to do! _

 

He smirked, and charged forward, but she just conjured a few clones. She took his hit on her left arm while her clones pulled Tsunade away from the fight, giving her more room to move. She groaned. It felt like he’d just sliced through all the muscles in her arm. 

 

He was turning again, watching the clones setting Tsunade down, and started cracking up. “Naruto!” He cackled, pointing at Tsunade, “you’re not good enough to face me with your full attention, let alone dividing it up to protect this pathetic old hag!”

 

“Keep your mouth shut!” Naru snapped, clutching her arm and turning to face him. She squeezed one eye shut because of the pain. Kabuto just shook his head and pulled a knife. 

 

“No use in wasting chakra, I mean! Look at you,”

 

Naru bit back a retort, coming up with a plan that she just knew would have made Shikamaru and Sasuke so angry they’d pass out. She turned to face him, and started building up chakra, feeling the fox come up, bubbling out of her stomach and through her system like wildfire.

 

“Come on, you’re not a baby any more Naruto!” Kabuto said, walking toward her, “sometimes it’s better to back down,”

 

“Sometimes it’s better to shut the fuck up, dumbass,” Naru spat, feeling the muscle in her arm mend a little. It was still agony, but she could move it if she needed. Kabuto was twirling his Kunai around his finger, strolling up to her like he was on his way to the supermarket. Toying with her. She bit her tongue.  _ Yes, come on, that’s it… _ When he was only a few feet from her, he grasped the knife and moved forward, and she brought her hands together, quickly making the unscrewing motion that started the rasengan. She tackled him, sending his knife through her shoulder, lodging it deep into her bone. Kabuto’s eyes grew wide, and then she was slamming both rasengan into the center of his back. She could feel them ripping away at him, toward her face. The force of her jutsu sent them both flying back, Kabuto falling onto her. She watched his eyes dull, and close, as blood sprayed out behind him in two arcs, almost like wings. When they came to a stop, she let go and pushed him off of her, feeling the knife in her shoulder grind in her bones. She staggered to her feet. He was face down on the ground, his back torn to bloody shreds. She’d barely cut it off before it started to hit her too. She turned back to Tsunade, who was staring at her, steady now. 

 

“Are you okay, Tsunade Baa-chan?” She asked, staggering toward her. Tsunade looked like she couldn’t speak. Naru fell to her knees, feeling her body give out. She smiled, trying to reassure the woman in front of her, “Hey, I think I might have won that bet. You gotta come with me and be the hokage now, Baa-chan,” She looked down at the kunai, lodged handle-deep in her shoulder, and yanked it out. Tsunade flinched. Naru held it out to her. “You might need this, cause… I might be kinda close to my limit,”

 

“Are you… Are you stupid or something?” Tsunade asked, voice cracking, reaching out to touch Naru’s face. Naru felt her smile get wider.

 

“Yeah, really stupid,” Naru laughed, blood coming out of her mouth as she did so. Her eyelids got heavy, and she felt herself sway, then she toppled over, the world going black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Just One Time, Godsmack
> 
> Shizune: Save Yourself, Tillie
> 
> Jiraiya: Eye Of The Storm, Godsmack
> 
> Tsunade: Capital Letters, Grace Mitchell


	64. Tsunade, and the fight everyone has already seen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In This House We Punch Shit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you guys believe i've been doing this for a whole month now? Wow. happy one monthaversary But I'm Not. and many returns.

As Naru collapsed, Tsunade caught her, lowering her gently to the ground. She felt her chest for a heartbeat, which was there, but it was fading. Her heart was failing. She looked over at Kabuto, who was  _ struggling to his feet. _

 

“How… How are you still alive?” She asked, shock overtaking her. Kabuto turned, moving to stand. 

 

“I channeled chakra to the point of impact. She got the drop on me, I admit, but I was quick enough to protect myself just in time. Naruto, however, is not so lucky,” His smirk widened, and he started walking slowly toward them. “I cut off all chakra to her heart, and severed all the muscles surrounding it. She’s going to die, very, very soon,”

 

Tsunade looked down at the little girl, and felt shock become panic. She reached down and cut away her tank top, exposing her chest. She quickly brought her hands to rest over her struggling heart, above the angry black mark on her stomach, and began a healing jutsu. Kabuto chuckled.

 

“It’s no use, she’s as good as gone. Not even the Nine Tailed Fox can help her now,”

 

“Shut up!” Tsunade shoutedas she pushed as much chakra as she could into healing Naru. Tears burned her eyes, but left freezing trails on her face as she looked down at Naru. She saw Nawaki, and Dan, laying there, just the same, dead, dying. “No! No! Don’t you die on me you little shit!” 

 

Naru’s hand twitched, and then reached up, her hand closing loosely around Tsunade's necklace. She cracked an eye open, and smiled up at her, “Don’t worry, Baa-chan, I’m just gonna take a nap. But don’t think I’ll forget… I won our bet...” Her hand fell, and her eye closed, but her little smile stayed put.

 

“She’s still alive?” Kabuto barked, collapsing again, shaking. Tsunade didn’t look up at him. She just looked at Naru, her bloody face and her bloody shoulder. She had that little smile, and she looked so at peace.  _ So she wants to be hokage, huh? That’s her dream? _

 

_ This little girl. She’s something else. Just one more time. This is the last time. I want that dream to come true. _ Tsunade untied the necklace, and placed it around Naru’s neck. It rested between the muscles there, and Tsunade pulled her jacket off the ground behind her, where it’d fallen, and draped it over the small girl. There was a crashing noise from over where Orochimaru and Jiraiya were fighting. 

 

Tsunade looked up, and Orochimaru was flying through the air toward them, a sword emerging from his throat.  _ You’ve got to be kidding. That fast? _   She did the only thing she could think of.

 

She took the hit.

 

Her whole world was nothing but pain. All there was was the sword through her chest and the girl behind her. Orochimaru seemed shocked. He withdrew the sword, swallowing it and standing up. Tsunade spat blood out onto the ground between them. He sighed.

 

“Why, Tsunade? You’re the only person here I didn’t want to kill. Why bother protecting this little genin brat? There’s no point in it. You, one of the legendary Sanin, throwing yourself in front of some little snot nosed  _ nobody, _ ”

 

“That’s what you don’t get,” Tsunade snarled, glowering up at him, “If there’s anything in this world worth protecting, it’s this kid,”

 

“Even if that were true, how could you possibly do it? Look at the state of you,” He said, smirking, “you’re shaking like a leaf. You can’t protect her. You’ll die trying,”

 

She struggled to her feet, facing her old teammate down and meeting him eye to eye. “So? I’m done playing games. From now on,” She gripped her fists, striking a defensive stance, “I’m putting my life on the table,”

 

“So be it, old friend,” Orochimaru said, conjuring the sword again and slashing her across the chest. She fell back, her every nerve on fire. 

 

She heard Shizune scream, and Jiraiya shout something, but the only thought in her head was of Naru, unconscious, waiting on her to make good on their bet. Tsunade shot up, and took another hit, shielding the girl. Orochimaru growled in frustration. 

 

“Did you forget how to listen while learning all your fucking ninjutsu? I said I’d die before I let you hurt her!” She shouted, as loud as she could with a sword in her back, glaring over her shoulder at the man hovering over them both.

 

“You’re halfway there already,” He spat, pulling the sword back and kicking her, hard, off of the unconscious girl. She skidded to a halt a few feet away. “Agh, look at you, Tsunade. Cut to ribbons and shaking all over, still so scared of blood. All this for an obnoxious, loudmouthed brat you don’t know and a village you abandoned years ago? I never thought you were stupid, Tsunade, but… well. I guess all mortals slip with age,” 

 

She stilled, settling on one thought.  _ No other way.  _ She lunged forward at Orochimaru and knocked him back, standing. She smirked at him, sprawled out on the grass. “You know, I didn’t really want to do this, but I guess you’re not leaving me any choice,” She slammed her hands together, “I mean, as the fifth Hokage, it’s really my duty to crush you,”

 

She completed the seal breaking jutsu, and started the regeneration process, feeling her wounds begin to stitch themselves shut. Orochimaru looked positively enthralled. “Looks like I’m not the only one who’s learned some new tricks. This one is impressive, to say the least. How’s it done?”

 

“Why the  _ fuck _ would I tell you?” She snapped, moving into an offensive pose, “Just know you’re done for,” She wiped some blood off of her face and onto her arm, slamming her hand to the ground at the same time as Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Jiraiya. 

 

When the smoke cleared, they all stood on their most powerful summons, in a perfect stand off. Behind Tsunade lay Naru, still unconscious. Tsunade hissed at Katsuyu.

 

“Katsuyu. Take the girl to Shizune,” She looked out over her old teammate’s summons.  _ This is going to be rough. _

 

Gamabunta and Manda were already spitting insults at each other. Jiraiya was, of course, next to shout.

 

“Orochimaru! You’re no longer fit to be one of us! This Rivalry has finally come to a head,”

 

“One of you? What an insult,” Orochimaru sneered, his summon’s head weaving back and forth. Tsunade stepped forward.

 

“After this, there’ll be one less sanin in the world,” She spat, glaring at him. He grinned. Katsuyu spat acid, but Manda was too fast. He slid to her, wrapping her in a grip that sent Tsunade lurching forward. Gamabunta swooped in, drawing his Katana and moving to cut off Manda’s head, but the massive snake clamped his jaws around it, holding it still.

 

“Now, Katsuyu!” Tsunade shouted, leaping away. Katsuyu split into thousands of clones and reformed out of Manda’s grip, facing the interlocked males. Gamabunta leapt back, leaving his sword in the snake’s grip, who whipped it at him. He leapt, again, out of the way, and it lodged in the earth directly before Katsuyu. Tsunade jumped up onto the Katana, and then back to command her summon. 

 

Gamabunta and Jiraiya were spitting flames at Manda and Orochimaru, but there was no way it would work. Tsunade’s eyes fell to the abandoned Katana before them. She gathered her chakra and heaved it from the earth, leaping toward them as Manda’s tail broke the the ground, and driving the sword through his head as he moved to strike Bunta from behind. 

 

“Take that you slimy son of a bitch!” She barked, kicking it further into the earth, pinning him. Orochimaru’s disgusting tongue wrapped around her throat, and Orochimaru laughed.

 

“I always did fantasise about choking you, Tsunade,”

 

_ I don’t have enough chakra to fight him off. But I have to!  _ She shoved her fist into the noose, and forced it wide, gripping the tongue and yanking Orochimaru up like a yo-yo, straight into her fist. She whipped him into the air and leapt after him, sinking punch after kick after punch into his frame. They landed back onto the katana, and she kept hold of his tongue, but she missed her final punch, and there he was, hanging down below her, sneering.

 

“Everyone has their limits. Even you,” He said, sickly, smiling. She wished she could kill him. She wished it would be easier. She thought of Dan as she yanked him upward again, and Nawaki as she leapt after him, punching him, giving him no room to breathe. She thought, finally, of Naru as she felt the bones in his face break under her fist.

 

He leapt back, tried to flee, tried to gain his bearings, but she didn’t let up. He tried throwing her onto his sword using his tongue like a lasso, but she caught it between her feet. She threw him down, she beat him like a damn drum, but he wouldn’t stop. 

 

_ Fine. This…  _ She channeled all the chakra she could muster into her fist, _this'll do it._ She wascracking her knuckles, walking up to him, thinking again of Naru as she wound back.

 

“Tell the devil I said hello!” She spat, swinging her charged fist straight at Orochimaru’s already broken face. He flew back, and landed on Manda’s unmoving back.

 

“Lord Orochimaru!” Kabuto cried, watching Orochimaru lay there, the rest of his body falling limp along with his arms. He clambered toward him, his own body weakened drastically. Tsunade looked around, her eyes falling on Shizune and Naru, only a little way away. She was about to call out, check on the girl, but then Manda disappeared, and when the smoke cleared, Orochimaru stood, panting, his face peeling off to reveal another underneath. She felt horror rise in her throat like bile.

 

“So Tsunade. You refuse to heal my arms, do you?”

 

“No fucking shit,” She spat. How was he still alive? Whose body was that, that could take one of her hits and survive?

 

“No matter. There’s one other way. When I am back at full strength, rest assured,” He looked up, his newly exposed eye wide and different, “I will destroy you  _ and _ the leaf,”

 

“Just try it,” She snarled as he sank into the earth, his minion departing alongside him. Tsunade frowned, but her body was shot. There was no way she could keep going. She began walking back to Shizune and Naru, and her legs threatened to give out. She was almost glad Naru was unconscious, because she knew her younger form would slip. It was a shame Jiraiya would see.

 

It wasn’t long before he joined them, standing around Naru. He stooped and picked her up, wincing as he did so. The jacket slipped, revealing the necklace Tsunade had tied around the girl’s neck. He laughed.

 

“Tsunade, you always were a bad gambler,” She looked up at him.

 

“I thought for once I was making a bet I’d win,” 

 

“I don’t think there is a bet anyone could win against this snot nosed little…” He trailed off. from the expression on his face, she knew her form had likely slipped. “Tsunade…”

 

“Jiraiya,” She admonished gently, “You know what you have to call me now. No more first names. And slap that honorific back on while you’re at it,”

 

“Yeah, sure… Hokage-sama,” he said with a sad smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tsunade: Necessary Roughness, The Lady Of Rage
> 
> Jiraiya: Lyrical Gangbang, Dr. Dre
> 
> Orochimaru: Cryin' Like A Bitch, Godsmack


	65. Naru, the necklace and the happy ending.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru has a rare, truly happy moment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> excuse me as i cry about this scene. ugh. Tsunade is so cute.

They were sitting in the booth at the bar where they’d all met, and Naru was looking across at Tsunade.  _ The leaf’s first female Kage! _  Excitement was buzzing in her chest, and she couldn’t stop smiling. Tsunade was getting annoyed, because she couldn’t even eat properly. She was too happy.

 

“I’m paying for your food, and you’re letting it get cold. It’s rude Naru,”

 

“But Tsunade Baa-chan! I can’t eat, I’m too excited!” She said, bouncing on her seat and kicking her legs. Tsunade narrowed her eyes.

 

“Then why’d you order all this food?”

 

Naru rolled her eyes. “Cause I thought I could, duh,”

 

“Listen, if you don’t eat I’m gonna smack that grin off you. Stuff your damn face!” Tsunade pushed a plate toward her.

 

“Baa-chan!” Naru laughed, throwing her hands up, “I can’t!”

 

“That’s it! We’re taking this outside!” Tsunade shouted, slamming her hands on the table and getting to her feet. Naru followed her, grinning ear to ear. They went to that same alley, with its massive cracks in the ground from their last skirmish.

 

Tsunade turned to face her, holding up one finger. “This is all I’m going to need,”

 

“Yeah, my brain might be pickled in broth but I do have a memory,” Naru said, hopping from foot to foot and shaking her hands, psyching herself up for the ass kicking she knew she was about to get. She charged forward, moving to punch Tsunade first, but the old woman dodged her easily and flicked her headband off. She was bracing herself as Tsunade moved to flick her, stopping dead and squeezing her eyes shut…

 

She felt Tsunade kiss her forehead, her lip gloss sticky and perfume sweet and floral. Naru turned bright red, looking up at Tsunade as she drew back and smiled at her.

 

“Look after that necklace. It was my grandfather’s. He was the first Hokage,”

 

Naru pulled the necklace out from under her new tank top and looked at it. She stared back up at Tsunade. “That’s what this is? Why’d you give it to me?” She asked, her hand closing around the stone.

 

“Because, you’ll grow up to be a strong woman one day,” Tsunade laughed, ruffling Naru’s hair, “You’re going to be Hokage yourself eventually, right?”

 

Naru flushed even darker, but grinned. “That’s right! Now, let’s make sure you pay up on that bet of yours! We gotta get you back to the village!”

 

“Not before you pay for your food you little-” Jiraiya shouted. Naru sighed, and they all filed back into the bar. 

 

Somehow, Naru had the sneaking feeling that this was a rare moment. She couldn’t quite place why.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: I Like Giants, Kimya Dawson
> 
> Tsunade: Solid and Strong, Kimya Dawson


	66. Tsunade, and the imbeciles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tsunade discusses serious topics seriously

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a study of the relationship between Jiraiya and Naru form an outsider's perspective, and a mention of NAru's sneaking suspicion that this is the calm before the storm

Tsunade couldn’t even begin to comprehend the dynamic between Jiraiya and Naru. It wasn’t even remotely close to any student teacher relationship she’d ever seen. Everything he taught Naru, she used almost constantly, usually against him. She hid in trees to scare him, she transformed into beautiful women to trick him, and almost constantly called him names. She even lobbed a smoke bomb into the men’s hot springs when she heard his voice. It was like she was some sort of pint sized chaos god.

 

And Jiraiya, well. He never stopped ragging on the poor kid. From her looks to her brains to the amount of time she spent daily on her strength training, nothing was off limits. He criticised her brutally. Tsunade would have felt bad, would have stepped in, but it was as though Naru didn’t even notice. Jiraiya’s power to see and point out Naru’s every fault was matched only by Naru’s ability to completely ignore him. Shizune seemed even more concerned for Naru than Tsunade.

 

“Tsunade-sama- I mean, Lady Hokage, ma’am,” Shizune said one morning, setting a tea tray in front of the older woman and giving her one of her best worried looks, “do you think we should… do something about Naru-san and Jiraiya-sama?”

 

“You mean, other than throw them into a volcano, I suppose?” Tsunade mused, throwing aside her second scratch card of the day, which had, much like the first, yielded no winnings.

 

“I mean, about the way he talks to her. I’m worried that if he continues to speak to her like that then she might develop a… a complex or something. She’s just a teenage girl! And he acts like an academy bully!”

 

“I’d say she bullies him back. Did you see what she did with his things the last time he tried to bathe?”

 

“I saw,” Shizune said, her face darkening at the memory of Jiraiya climbing up trees in various states of undress in order to retrieve the items Naru had stuffed into various animal’s nests, “But afterward he called her-”

 

“A brainless androgyne with neither sense nor morality, and he also told her that her mouth was a gaping sewer drain,”

 

“ _And_ that she was the most revolting human he’d ever had the misfortune of laying eyes on, which is why I’m asking you if perhaps, you could, uh, intervene?”

 

“How do you suggest I do that, exactly? Neither of them seem particularly unhappy about the arrangement. If she seemed upset after he said it, I’d step in. But, we both remember exactly what she said to him, right? ‘Why don’t you go get-”

 

“‘Go get your head stuck in a bog, you toilet brush looking mother fucker,’ yes, I remember, but she’s a twelve year old girl, she's developing insecurities, the way he talks to her about her appearance could cause her problems down the road,”

 

Tsunade picked up her cup, taking a sip of her tea and considering what Shizune brought forward. “I understand what you’re saying, and if Naru was any other girl I’d agree with you. But if any teenage girl can handle Jiraiya, it’s Naru,” She set her cup back down with a crooked smile, “we’re going to be back at the village this afternoon, and I think things’ll make more sense once we see her peers,”

 

Shizune stood, sighing. “yes, Hokage-Sama-“

 

“Shizune, you can still call me by my name,” Tsunade said, smiling at the young woman. Shizune seemed a little surprised, but nodded.

 

“Yes, Tsunade-sama,” and then she left. Tsunade sat back and pulled another scratch ticket forward, clearing off the squares one at a time. Someone had once told her that if she had saved all the money she’d gambled away then she’d be rich. But that person had spent their money on jewelry and furniture. Everyone filled their lives with something. Shizune filled her life with her, Tsunade. Jiraiya creeped around on women. 

 

Naru, on the surface, seemed like she filled her life with pranks and food. But Tsunade had been travelling with her for days now, and she knew better. Naru filled her life with friends. She filled her life with the desire to make herself better, and her love for almost everyone she met.

 

The scratch card was a ‘thanks for playing’ and she threw it across the room, accidentally lodging it in the wall. She finished her tea and got to her feet, stretching and beginning to pack her things. She’d be in Konohagakure before the afternoon, and she’d be Hokage either by the end of today or tomorrow. What a strange world. 

 

She picked her bag up and slung it over her shoulder, moving out of the room and squaring away the bill at the counter. She met Shizune and Tonton outside, but Naru and Jiraiya weren’t there. Tsunade was about to ask when Shizune just… pointed across the wide, green lawn to where Naru was cartwheeling around Jiraiya, who was still dressed in his bathrobe and looking like he was about to explode.

 

“Where. Are. My. Clothes?” He spat through gritted teeth as Naru stopped cartwheeling and sat on the lawn, grinning. 

 

“Not until you admit it!”

 

“No!”

 

Tsunade strolled up, looking down at Naru. “What did you do now?”

 

“Nothing!” She cackled, “Jiraiya just lost his clothes... and I know where they are. But I’m not going to tell him where they are until he  _ admits _ that he wears fishnets because he thinks they’re  _ sexy _ ,”

 

“It’s light armour!” He spat, crossing his arms. Naru just cackled again.

 

“They’re the least convenient things on the planet and you wear them over your  _ whole body _ because they protect you from road rash? Bull. It’s a fashion choice, and a bad one at that,”

 

Tsunade bit her tongue, trying hard not to laugh at how red Jiraiya was getting. “Naru, give him his clothes back,” She said, her arms crossed. Naru pouted up at her.

 

“Tsunade Baa-chan! I-”

 

“I don’t want to hear it, give him his clothes or I’ll hold you back from missions when we get to the village,"

 

Naru sighed and walked to the edge of the lawn, into the flowerbeds, and plunged her hands into the ground. She unearthed Jiraiya’s outfit, inconvenient fashion choices and all. She shook some of the dirt off and handed them over reluctantly. Jiraiya looked livid.

 

“You buried them? They’re filthy!”

 

“Just because they were in the ground and I knew where they were does  _ not _ mean that I buried them! I did bury them, but I object to the _assumption_ that it was me,” She said, crossing her arms as Jiraiya held his twitching hands out like he was aching to throttle her. Tsunade rolled her eyes. 

 

“Jiraiya! Go change. Naru! Stop provoking your teacher. You should respect him,”

 

“How am I supposed to respect a man in a body stocking who calls himself the Toad Sage?” She spat. Jiraiya spluttered, but Tsunade cut in before he could retort.

 

“If you didn’t want to respect him, why’d you blackmail him into being your sensei?”

 

“You didn’t see the other guy,” She said, crossing her arms and looking at the ground. Was she a little ashamed? Tsunade sighed.

 

“I know you’re excited to get back to the village, but you’re not a little child anymore. You’re a genin of the leaf and you need to act like a representative of the village. I can’t send you out on missions if you refuse to act like a credit to the regime. And! That goes for you too Jiraiya! Put on some fucking clothes!” She said, turning to the man and pointing at the hotel. He looked taken aback, but then just slunk away, hissing under his breath. Naru looked up at Tsunade once he was out of earshot.

 

“I.. I do respect Pervy Sage. I just… I have a weird feeling. Like something bad is about to happen. I can’t help but try to have fun now, while things are good, cause I can’t shake this…” she gestured vaguely, looking for the right word.

 

“Suspicion?” Tsunade suggested. Naru nodded fervently. Tsunade straightened her back and brushed her hair out of her eyes. “Well, I’m no fortune teller, else I definitely would have hit it big by now. But I can promise you that I’m not gonna let anything bad happen, as far as my power will go. And that’s me giving my word as a Kunoichi. They might say a Shinobi always keeps his word, but nobody has to remind anyone that Kunoichi always speak the truth. That’s why we aren’t in the damn saying,”

 

Naru looked up at her with wide eyes and nodded slowly. They stood on the lawn in silence until Jiraiya returned, swearing and dusting off his shirt as best he could. Tsunade could see Naru chewing on her top lip, like she was gearing up to apologise or something, but as soon as Jiraiya reached them, he picked her up, putting her under his arm, and gave her a noogie. 

 

“Listen up you wide mouthed little shit, if you don’t quit it I’m gonna drag you back to Konoha by your scrawny ankles. Do you hear me?”

 

“Get off me you disgusting old goat!” Naru laughed as he hiked her further under his arm and started down the path, ignoring her struggling.

  
“Lets go. I have to do laundry now, thanks to this one,” He barked, stomping along in his wooden shoes. Tsunade caught Shizune’s eye and smiled.  _ How’s that for stepping in? _

Both women followed the noisy pair down the path, toward Konoha.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tsunade: Idle Worship, Paramore
> 
> Shizune: Lotto In Reverse, Alex Lahey
> 
> Naru: Super America, Bad Bad Hats
> 
> (I promise It'll start getting a little bit more eventful soon)


	67. Naru, Injuries and Inquiries.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru gets locked out of some rooms and fails to pick up on something important

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jealousy is a weird thing.

Naru charged through the gates, holding Tsunade's wrist in a vice grip, dragging her along as she sprinted past the guards and toward the hospital. Tsunade was protesting, but Naru wouldn’t hear a word of it.

 

“Come on Tsunade Baa-chan! Hurry! Sasuke-kun is still in the hospital and you need to heal Eyebrows! He’s still all messed up from his fight with Gaara-chan! Hurry!” She kicked in the hospital doors and charged to the front desk, slamming her hands down onto the counter. “Where’s Sasuke Uchiha’s room?”

 

“Uh, he’s in room S17, but-“

 

“No buts! Let’s GO!” She grabbed Tsunade’s hand again and dragged her to the short term care ward, kicking in the door and pushing Tsunade in. Tsunade looked like she was trying not to laugh as Naru rushed to Sasuke’s bedside, hovering over him awkwardly and looking up at the older woman. “You can fix him, right?”

 

Tsunade approached, looking intently at the unconscious boy. She felt his pulse and picked up his chart. She flipped through it and looked up at Naru, who’d grabbed Sasuke’s hand.

 

“You’re going to have to step out for a moment so I can examine him in peace, okay Naru?”

 

“I’ll be peaceful!”

 

“Be peaceful in the hallway, kid,” She said, grabbing her shoulder and pushing her out of the room. She slammed the door behind her, and Naru immediately leaned against it, trying to listen. But Tsunade wasn’t talking, she could only hear the faint rustle of her shifting Sasuke on the bed.

 

She ran her hands through her hair and started pacing, occasionally messing with the painting on the wall, lifting it away and letting it smack back into place, then straightening it. It was a good five minutes before Tsunade came out of the room, smiling a little. Naru whipped around and rushed to her side.

 

“Is he gonna be okay?”

 

“He’ll awake on his own, he’s fine. He’ll be a little shaken though, so it’s best that you aren’t there when he first comes around. I’ll tell you when you can visit him next,”

 

“But Baa-chan!”

 

“No buts!” Tsunade said, holding up her finger threateningly. Naru crossed her arms.

 

“Okay, now lets-“ But before she could finish, a green-jumpsuited man came rushing toward them. He dropped to his knee and bowed to Tsunade.

 

“Tsunade-sama! I only just heard you’d arrived, I have to ask you, please, to examine my student, if there’s anyone who can do anything for him, I know it’s you!”

 

“Back off! I was about to ask her to check out Eyebrows. You can’t swoop in and take the credit, Gai-sensei, sir,” Naru snapped. She turned back to Tsunade, who was really struggling not to smile as Jiraiya and Shizune rushed up to them aswell.

 

“Jeez kid, would it kill ya to wait two damn seconds…” Jiraiya grumbled, running a hand through his hair as he lumbered up toward them. Naru shot him a nasty look.

 

“Yes! Now let’s go!” she spat, grabbing Tsunade and making to start sprinting again, but Tsunade yanked her back easily.

 

“I’m going to see what I can do for your friend, but you need to cool your jets kid,” She smiled, taking Naru’s arm and lifting her off the ground so they were eye to eye, “neither of your friends nor Kakashi are in critical condition. Nothing is lost by _walking_ to their rooms,”

 

“Fine! But can we at least start _walking_ then?” She said, kicking her legs like she was going to go somewhere. Tsunade sighed and set her back down, letting her rocket off to Lee’s room. The adults all followed, (at an infuriatingly slow pace). She arrived in Lee’s room before them, and he was sitting on his bed, turning a chipped Kunai knife over in his hands.

 

“Hey! Eyebrows! I brought you someone-”

 

“This was you, was it not?” He asked, holding up the broken knife. Naru paused and looked at it, then smiled.

 

“Yeah! I figured, cause you couldn’t go out and train, that you’d like a little bit of the training grounds here with you. I found that,” she pointed at the knife, “laying around on the ground near that thing you always like to kick,”

 

Lee looked down at it, with the sharp point missing and a large knick out of one side, and nodded. He set it down on the table.

 

“Naru-chan, how long have you been back?” He asked, furrowing his thick brows and looking intently up at her. She blinked.

 

“I only just got home, I rushed straight here cause I brought-”

 

“Have you had a chance to speak with Neji-san yet?”

 

“Uh… no, I haven’t. We don’t actually talk that much, why? Does he have something he wants to say to me?” She asked. Lee hesitated, seeming like he was weighing his words. Naru was disconcerted. Lee was normally one of the only people who’d return her energy. This subdued, thoughtful version of him was throwing her off balance. Before he could settle on a reply, however, the door opened again, revealing Tsunade and the others. Jiraiya immediately picked Naru up by the back of her shirt and dropped her outside of the door, shutting and locking it behind her. She groaned, and she heard him shout at her through the door.

 

“You! Go get something to eat! No one wants you here!” He barked, then he drew the blinds on the door’s window. (which was useless, because she was too short to see through it properly anyway, and they’d probably drawn the curtain around the bed.) She growled in frustration, but strode down the hallway to the little snack area anyway. She sat there and munched on the weird graham crackers they had in the little basket next to the over-polished apple and green banana. _What did he think Neji wanted with me? Neji never talks to me._ She crumpled up the graham cracker’s wrapper and rolled the apple across the counter. She’d imagined that she’d at least be in the room while Tsunade healed her friends. But, it seemed, healing in hospitals was less dramatic than it was on the battlefield.

 

She sighed. _I’m glad I’m not a medical ninja. I really, really hate it here._ She grabbed the apple and bit into it, but it tasted disgusting, dry and old. She spat it into the bin and threw the offensive fruit in, frowning. Just as it thudded to the bottom, she heard footsteps thundering toward her. She shot to her feet, her mind, for some reason, flying to Itachi, and stuck her head out of the little alcove and into the hallway. the footsteps drew closer, and Shikamaru, Kiba and Choji rounded the corner, sprinting down the hall. Kiba and Shikamaru were neck and neck, leaning into each other and glaring, both snarling insults in low voices. Choji was following, an unopened bag of chips in his hands as he trailed after them, laughing his head off. Naru leapt out of the alcove, grinning. The two boys in front skidded to a halt, and Choji crashed into them from behind, toppling all three of them over. They looked up at Naru, who was buzzing with excitement.

 

“Hey guys! Are we fighting? Please tell me we’re fighting!” She exclaimed, punching the air and beaming. Shikamaru shoved Choji off of him first, getting to his feet and dusting off his clothes. He shoved his hands into his pockets and looked up at the ceiling, squinting into a fluorescent light and frowning.

 

“Oh, hey Naru, I heard you were back, and that you brought some kinda doctor, so I figured you’d be here-“

 

Kiba leapt up, shoving Shikamaru away and stepping toward Naru, Akamaru peeking his head out of the collar of his hoodie, “I heard you were back _first,_ We were out in the woods walking and I heard the guards yelling at you for blowing them off! So I was trying to figure out where you were going when-“

 

“When he saw me heading here and thought he’d tag along _uninvited,”_ Shikamaru growled, pushing Kiba slowly back, regaining his place in front of Naru, whose stomach was sinking.

 

“Wait… You guys didn’t… become… _rivals_ while I was gone, did you?” She asked, eyes wide, dropping her arms to her sides. Shikamaru and Kiba both started protesting at once, then snarled at each other. Choji opened his bag of chips and began munching. Naru’s hand shot out automatically, and he dropped a small handful into her open and expecting palm.

 

“Naru, you _know_ I don’t have rivals,” Shikamaru said, tilting his head at her and rolling his eyes. Naru paused, mid bite.

 

“Shikamaru-kun, I thought we were rivals!” She said, frowning. Shikamaru straightened up, and was about to reply when Kiba leaned forward eagerly.

 

“Naru-chan, I’ll be your rival!” Kiba said, flashing her a crooked grin, “We can totally train together all the time when we aren’t on missions! _And_ I bet Hinata-chan and Shino-chan would tag along too! It’d be so awesome!” He grinned. Naru gave him a little smile.

 

“Thanks Kiba-chan! Actually, I have this totally cool new Jutsu I’d love to show you-“ but Shikamaru cut her off.

 

“Naru, you don’t need to train with _him._ You train with a damn Sanin. You should spend your free time relaxing for a change-“

 

Kiba crossed his arms. “Naru-chan isn’t lazy like you,” He snapped as she munched noisily on her chips, looking between the two boys. _I think they did become rivals while I was gone..._

 

“Naru is perfectly capable of chilling out once in a while. Unlike _you,_ dog breath,” Shikamaru snapped. Kiba narrowed his eyes.

 

“Hey, listen, Nara, you cloud watching slacker, I don’t need your bad habits rubbing off on Naru-chan, so why don’t you-“

 

They were all distracted by the door to Lee’s room opening, and Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Shizune all slipping out, looking a little sad. Naru’s eyes flicked from face to face before she spoke up.

 

“Hey! Tsunade Baa-chan! Did you fix him?” She asked, turning her back on her friends and laser focusing on the healer. Tsunade winced.

 

“His recovery will be a long process, Naru. Uh, who are your friends?” She asked, glancing at Shizune. Naru looked over her shoulder.

 

“This is Shikamaru-kun, Choji-chan and Kiba-chan,” she said, indicating the three boys, she then pointed at the adults one by one, “guys, this is the Dirty Old Man, Tsunade baa-chan, and Shizune-chan,”

 

Jiraiya looked ready to explode, but Shizune smiled and looked at Kiba excitedly. “So you’re Kiba-san! Naru told me about you! I’m glad to finally meet you,” She looked at the other two boys with equally kind smiles, “and you as well, Shikamaru-san, Choji-san. I’m sure we’ll all get to know each other well over the coming months,”

 

“So, this is the famous Kiba, huh?” Jiraiya said, narrowing his eyes as he strode forward, palming Naru’s head and leaning on her, forcing her to bend forward a little as he leaned in to glower down at Kiba, who was suddenly looking a tad nervous. “huh. Well,” Jiraiya straightened up and tilted Naru’s head back, looking down at her and ruffling her hair, “Okay kiddo, leave Hokage-sama alone for twenty fuckin minutes for me, will you? Gotta get some actual work done- and can’t have you underfoot. Why don’t ya go hang out with these…” he glanced at the three boys critically, “ _youths…_ and leave everyone else alone for the rest of the day?”

 

“You smell like dirt,” Naru said. Jiraiya squatted down and met her eye to eye, a murderous look on his face.

 

“I wonder why, you vile little-“

 

“Jiraiya! Let’s go!” Tsunade snapped, and the three adults moved to leave, Shizune waving to Naru as they did. Naru crossed her arms, turning back to the boys.

 

“Ugh, can you believe that old fishnet-wearing, toad-riding, dirty-“

 

“Who’s the blonde chick?” Kiba asked, Leaning back to watch Tsunade leaving. Naru smacked the back of his head.

 

“She’s the new Hokage! And she’s fifty years old!”

 

“Why did you tell them about Kiba? Did they ask if you knew anyone who smelled like wet dog?” Shikamaru sneered. His face seemed a little red. Kiba paused for a second, and then grinned.

 

“Yeah, they didn’t recognise either of your names, did they?” He said, pulling his hood down and ruffling his hair. Shikamaru’s face went even redder.

 

“I told them you were great at tracking. It came up. Anyway, Tsunade baa-chan is super strong! She can break through boulders with a single punch!” Naru said, bouncing on the balls of her feet and punching the air again. Shikamaru huffed.

 

“What, and you didn’t talk about strategy the whole time you were gone?” He snapped. Naru looked over at him, confused.

 

“No, we talked about it. But it wasn’t really applicable in the situation-“

 

“Strategy is _always_ applicable!” He said, pushing his hands deeper into his pockets and frowning. Naru blinked, taken aback. _Why’s he so grumpy?_ _Is it cause I’m taking up his time with his rival?_ She looked over at Choji.

 

“Hey Choji-chan, wanna go get barbecue?” She suggested, thinking Kiba and Shikamaru would seize on the opportunity to go have a push-up contest or something, like she did with Sasuke. She was surprised when Kiba quickly drew closer to her.

 

“I’ll take you to get barbecue, my treat. _And_ you can tell me all about what you did while you were gone,”

 

“We’ll all go,” Shikamaru snarled, his pockets shifting in a way that told Naru he’d just clenched his fists in them. Naru smiled at all of them, grabbing Shikamaru and Choji’s forearms.

 

“Ah! This’ll be so much fun!” she said, grinning ear to ear and hugging the boy’s arms, dragging them in to her sides. Shikamaru seemed annoyed. He shot Choji a look, and Choji extricated himself from her grip.

 

“I need two hands for these chips, Naru-chan,” He said, grinning at her. She smiled back.

 

“Okay!” And she just hooked her arm through Shikamaru’s and peered up into his face.

 

“Hey, what’s up with you today? You seem off,”

 

“Nothing’s wrong,” He grumbled. She looked over at Kiba, who was glaring daggers at the back of Shikamaru’s head.

 

“You guys _did_ become rivals, didn’t you? You never minded each other before I left,” She chewed the inside of her cheek, a little jealous.  _I'm the damn rival here. Shit. One month away and people already forgot about me._

 

“What makes you think I’ve got a problem with him?” Kiba asked through gritted teeth. Akamaru barked.

 

“You two better not ruin lunch!” She said, grabbing Kiba’s hand and dragging him forward, pulling both he and Shikamaru down the hall, “because I’m starving!”

 

“Don’t worry Naru-chan, I won’t let him mess anything up,” Kiba said, pulling her gently toward him. Shikamaru raised his eyebrows and unlaced his arm from hers. For a second, Naru felt a little hurt, but then he threw his arm around her shoulders and flashed her a crooked smile.

 

“So, Naru, tell me about what happened while you were gone. Not much has been happening here, we really just been rebuilding and training. Right Choji?”

 

“Right,” Choji said through a mouthful of chips. Naru took a deep breath, considering where to start.

 

“A lot of it was me learning my new Jutsu. First I had to pop water balloons using chakra, then rubber balls. Pervy sage was using one hand, but I have to use two. Don’t ask me why,”

 

Kiba snorted, and Naru looked over at him. He flushed a little. “Sorry Naru, I blame it on gutterbrain,” he explained, squeezing her hand. She looked up at Shikamaru, who was glaring at Kiba again.

 

“What? Did I say something dirty?”

 

“You said you had to use two hands,” Choji said, popping another chip into his mouth as they left the hospital. Naru flushed a little and snorted too.

 

“Oh, shit, whoops, I didn’t even think of that,” she laughed, hitting Kiba in the stomach with their joined hands. He winced, but smiled all the same. Shikamaru shifted, pulling her into his side a little more.

 

“Keep going Naru, _I_ want to hear about your training,”

 

Naru couldn’t help the uncomfortable feeling rising in her stomach, but pushed it back all the same. “Uh, okay... After that I had to do the same thing except not pop the balloon. 'Cause I had to condense the chakra into a point. _And_ I almost got kidnapped by these two super strong guys, one of them was Itachi Uchiha,”

 

“Itachi Uchiha?” Kiba asked, amazed. Shikamaru blanched.

 

“ _Kidnapped?”_ He spun her around to face him, making her drop Kiba’s hand and peered carefully into her face as though looking for scratches. She nodded, brushing his hands away.

 

“Yeah, but Sasuke-kun showed up and then the other guy, Kisame or whatever, hit me so hard that blood got in my eyes and I couldn’t see shit. But Jiraiya chased them off and that’s why Sasuke-kun is in the hospital- it's 'cause Itachi did some weird shit to his brain. And _then_ we found Tsunade baa-chan,” She turned away from Shikamaru, putting her hands behind her head and leading them all down toward the restaurant, “Then we made a bet that if I managed to get a hang of it- the jutsu I mean- in three days she’d be Hokage, and we got in a fight with the guy who killed the old man, his name is Orochimaru,” they sat down and ordered, there was a little bit of a scuffle, but when Naru looked around, Kiba slid into the booth next to her. Shikamaru and Choji sat so they were facing them. Naru bounced in her seat and grabbed a pair of chopsticks, “and that creepy kid, Kabuto from the chunin exams was with him, cause I guess he was a spy, and he stabbed me. And then he stopped my heart, _and_ broke my ribs and stuff... but before I passed out I hit him with my jutsu, so he couldn’t fight anymore, _then_ I passed out, but I won my bet! So Tsunade Baa-chan is Hokage now and everything’s good,”

 

“That Kabuto guy did what?!” Shikamaru snarled, snapping his chopsticks in his hands. Kiba grinned.

 

“Whoa! How cool is that new jutsu of yours that you can take a guy _that strong_ out in one hit?”

 

“Well the fourth Hokage invented it, but I don’t have it perfect or anything... plus Kabuto had been fighting Tsunade Baa-chan so he was tired. You know, she punched the ground so hard it left a crater the size of-”

 

“You took on someone who’d been fighting the _Hokage?_ ” Choji asked. Naru flushed a little.

 

“I didn’t _win,”_ Naru admitted. Choji shook his head.

 

“But you _survived_ ,”

 

“Barely, from the sound of it!” Shikamaru barked, his white-knuckled hands threatening to break another pair of chopsticks. Naru laughed.

 

“Yeah, I woulda been done for if it hadn’t been for Baa-chan,” She shrugged, “Got lucky, I guess,”

 

“Got in the way, more like! Naru, when there’s a fight like that happening, get out of there! Why would you throw yourself into something like that?” Shikamaru asked, frustration in every syllable. Naru squinted at him, but Kiba cut across her.

 

“Cause she’s brave, and fucking amazing! I can’t think of anyone in our class who could pull some shit like that off, it’s so cool!”

 

They all leaned back as the food was placed in front of them. The two boys were shooting murderous looks across the table at each other, and when the waitress left Naru leaned forward and waved her hand between the two dark haired boys, scowling.

 

“You guys said you wouldn’t ruin lunch,” She growled, slamming her hand down and jogging them back to reality. Choji placed the meat on the barbecue and they all settled into talking about the village repairs. Shikamaru mentioned that the academy had been out more days than it had been hosting classes, and supposedly the wall was behind schedule. Kiba mentioned that Hinata had been training really hard, and that Shino was collecting specimens at an alarming rate.

 

“Yeah that sounds fuckin alarming,” She said, shuddering. Kiba paused, then laughed.

 

“Naru, are you scared of bugs?”

 

“No! I’m not scared of shit. I don’t like most bugs. Beetles are okay, but anything with more legs than that creeps me the hell out,” She said, turning a little red and rubbing her arms to dispel the creeping feeling she was getting. Shikamaru leaned his face on his hand, rolling his eyes.

 

“I don’t blame you, bugs are annoying,”

 

“Aw! I can’t believe you’re scared of bugs! That’s so cute!” Kiba said, elbowing Naru. She felt like her face was on fire, and he and Choji started snickering as she inhaled deeply.

 

“I am NOT scared of bugs! I just don’t like them!” She protested, looking around at them. Choji smiled at her.

 

“Don’t worry, everyone is scared of something,” he said, scooping the meat off the grill and eating almost all of it. He plopped some down onto her plate, however, and she reluctantly took up her chopsticks.

 

“No! I’m not scared of anything! Ever!” She protested. Shikamaru’s eyes were fixed on her face, and she avoided his gaze as she stuffed the little pieces of meat into her mouth, trying to ignore the other two, who were teasing her mercilessly about spiders.

 

They were finished quickly after that, and Kiba paid for them all. Naru had protested, but he’d thrown his arm around her and leaned in, grinning.

 

“Nah, don’t worry about it. It’s been worth it to spend time with you,” he winked, and then glanced up at Shikamaru, who looked ready to shove his chopsticks up Kiba’s nose. She smiled awkwardly.

 

“Thanks. Have any of you got any idea where Sakura-chan is?”

 

“No, no clue,” Kiba mused, holding out his hand to help Naru out of the booth, which she ignored. She sighed.

 

“I really wish she were around. I wanted to tell her about what happened to Sasuke-kun. I noticed that she’s been putting flowers in his room,”

 

“Actually, she and Ino have both been putting flowers in his room. He’s got a lot of admirers,” Shikamaru said, slipping out of the booth with his hands already stuffed into his pockets. Kiba seized on the subject.

 

"Yeah that's one popular guy. Pretty unattainable. He's got his pick of girls, that's for sure," He said, looking out of the corner of his eye at Naru. She smiled.

 

“That’s good! I’m glad people have been visiting him. It sucks to have no visitors. And flowers are nice in a hospital room,” She stretched, and started toward the door. The boys followed quickly behind her, and she failed to notice Kiba and Shikamaru elbowing each other to try to get out of the door before the other could.  _Boys are weird._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: God Help The Girl, God Help The Girl 
> 
> Lee: Undercover Martyn, Two Door Cinema Club 
> 
> Shikamaru: Kill the Director, The Wombats
> 
> Kiba: The Rock Show, Blink 182


	68. Lee, Disregarding Medical Advice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee eats apples every day, cause he doesn't wanna hear what the doctors have to say

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lee!!!! My sooooonnnnnn

Lee looked out the window of his cold hospital room, leaning on his crutch and trying to pretend he wasn’t in pain. He couldn’t fool himself. It didn’t matter, no one could say anything to him that would make him give up his dream. He looked at the little blue notebook he’d left on the windowsill. Reached down, and picked it up, turning it over in his hands. He opened the front cover, and reread the note scrawled there in a messy hand.

 

_ Hey! Eyebrows! Sorry I missed you. I wanted to give you this journal ‘cause you seem like the kinda dude who likes to write stuff down. Figured you’d use it for somethin’, even if it’s just ‘til you’re back to 110%! Hospitals suck, but having stuff to do always makes it better.  _

 

_ Can’t wait ‘til you’re up and moving again. You gotta spar with me, remember? Catcha later. _

 

_ -Naru _

 

Lee frowned down at the note.  _ Back to 110% _ . Better than before. No one could ever convince him that he couldn’t. And no one could convince Naru either. After all, she’d been bottom of her class, and now she was dragging Sanin around like they were her relatives. Lee hadn’t told Naru about what Neji had been saying about her. He hadn’t even thanked her properly for her gifts. The broken Kunai was sitting on his bedside table, only half as useful as it once had been. He hobbled over to it, and sat on the edge of the bed, setting the little book face down next to the knife. He picked the kunai up, turning it over in his hand.

 

He leaned forward on an impulse, and used the still sharp edge to carve letters into the bottom corner of the notebook.

 

S T Y.

 

_ Stronger Than Yesterday. _

 

He leaned back, turning the book over, and opening it to the first page. He wrote down everything he could remember the doctors, nurses, and the Hokage saying about his condition. That he couldn’t move his leg without agony, that his hand could hardly hold the knife Naru had brought him. He wrote down how frustrated he was, and then, in the top corner, he wrote the date. And next to the date, he wrote ‘day 1’.

 

He closed the book, and turned it back over, looking at the freshly scarred surface.  _ 110%. _

 

“I will get there, I swear it!” he said, standing up, leaning on his crutch, and moving out into the hall. “I will walk two laps around the hospital, or else I will do two hundred curl ups!”

 

_ And I will do more tomorrow. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lee: Slow And Steady, Of Monsters And Men


	69. Naru, And What A Broken Heart Feels Like

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru talks with her teammates and feels something painful that she can't name

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> uh oh

 

Naru was eating ramen by herself when she got word. She threw too much money down on the counter, and sprinted away, toward the hospital. She ran past the desk, ignoring the nurses, who only half heartedly called out for her to stop and sign in. She screeched to a halt at room S17 and slammed bodily into the door. It was locked. She rattled the door handle and banged on the wood, no breath in her lungs to form words. The lock clicked, and the door swung open, Sasuke standing there, pulling a pyjama shirt down over his stomach with the hand that wasn't on the door handle. 

 

“Can’t a guy change in-”

 

Naru rushed forward, wrapping her arms around him and sighing into his chest, feeling tension that she had been carrying for almost a month fall from her shoulders. 

 

“... Peace?” Sasuke stepped back, reclaiming some scrap of personal space. “Hey dobe, I’m glad you’re safe. I was kinda worried, for a second, when I woke up, because the last thing I remember is that big, grey guy grabbing you, but that Tsunade-sama person told me you were fine, so I figured you’d be here pretty soon,”

 

“Sasuke-kun! You’re alright!” She grabbed his face and smiled up at him, holding back the tears threatening to spill out of her eyes. Sasuke stepped back again, pulling his face out of her grip.

 

“God, Dobe, get a handle on yourself,” He said, pushing her hands away and sneering, “You look as desperate as the other girls who’ve been in here,”

 

“Other people have already been to see you?” Naru asked, surprised. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

 

“Yeah, Sakura-san and Ino-san were here when I woke up. I told Tsunade-sama not to have anyone send word to you until they left. It would have been too crowded,”

 

“Too… crowded? Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been about you? For a MONTH?” she bristled, stepping into the room, shutting the door behind herself, “Listen up, some shit went down while you were out, and I wanna talk to you about it. If I can’t have a minute to just be glad you’re awake and okay, then let’s get down to business,” Sasuke frowned. 

 

“You don’t get it. You don’t know what it’s like,” He snapped dryly, “If you did, you’d be…”

 

“I’d be what? On my knees, kissing your feet? If I could comprehend your suffering I’d bleed from the eyes and pray to you for forgiveness? Because your brother made you take a nap and gave you a boo-boo on your wrist?” She snarled, knowing she was being unfair, but unable to bring herself to care, “Listen. I have damn near  _ died  _ tryna get Tsunade Baa-chan back here, partly to heal  _ you.  _ That Kabuto kid almost stopped my heart. I fought off a Jonin-level traitor, and took some downright  _ stupid _ damage doing it. But you’re right. I don’t know what suffering is. I’m sorry your highness, for daring to be happy you’re awake and upset that you’re blowing me off like some lame fangirl. I’m your best friend-”

 

“Who told you that?” Sasuke snapped, his Sharigan flicking on in a blink. Naru froze. 

 

“What?”

 

“I never said you were my best friend, loser,” He sneered, leaning against his bedpost and crossing his arms. Naru thought her heart might actually stop this time. It was like every wound Kabuto had inflicted had opened up again.

 

“W-what? But-” Her head was spinning. This was so sudden. So... random. 

 

“Ugh, you should see yourself,” he sneered.  _ Why is he acting like this? What happened? Where’s Sasuke? This… This isn’t him! _

 

Naru felt like her body was on strings. She wanted to scream, and yell, and shake him. She wanted to make him… himself again. There wasn’t any reason for him to be doing this to her. There wasn’t any reason for him to be hurtful. 

 

In her memories, she saw him, laughing, winding bandages up her upper arms, pinning her down. She saw him half carrying her home after they figured out how to walk up trees. She saw Sasuke entering the ramen hut and telling her to respect herself. She saw Sasuke in her memories.

 

She didn’t see Sasuke in the sneering boy in front of her. 

 

_ Why am I visiting a stranger in the hospital? _ She blinked, feeling tears stick to her eyelashes, and wiped them away. 

 

“What the fuck?” She spat, suddenly angry. 

 

“What the fuck is right,” He snapped, quickly matching her anger, “what did you do to make my older brother want you? He was pulling you out of your hotel room when I came up. Why on earth, after all this time, was my reunion with my older brother  _ over _ you?”

 

A shiver of cold understanding took over her body. He was jealous that what had made Itachi return wasn’t him or his revenge, but her. She couldn’t even tell him why.

 

“I didn’t  _ do _ anything. And I don’t know why Itachi was trying to kidnap me,”

 

“Oh so he just suddenly knocked on your door for no reason? What game are you playing Naruto? Why are you so fixated on mixing yourself up with these dangerous people? And what is it about _you_ that makes people need you so damn bad?”

 

Naru just stood, her heart thudding like it was trying to snap her rib cage and fall out onto the floor, free of restraint. The truth was, she didn’t know. She didn’t have a damn clue why people got so close to her so quickly nowadays. She was sure that whatever strange ability it was that she had to draw people close to her, it wasn’t affecting Itachi and his choice to attack her. But Sasuke seemed to think it was. What wild thoughts had run through his unconscious mind over the last month? What strange conspiracies had he formulated?

 

“I don’t know,” She admitted, holding her hands out to her sides. Sasuke stepped forward, his red eyes narrowing, scanning her whole body, focusing on her face. He walked straight up to her, and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her in slightly. He glared down at her. 

 

“What is it about you that makes everyone so crazy? There's nothing special about you. What is it that you have?” He muttered, not really asking her. It was more like he was musing to himself, as he examined her face carefully. 

 

She just looked up at him, searching desperately for her friend in the face of this... _stranger_. She didn’t have long before he pushed her away, toward the door. 

 

“Leave,” he snapped. He turned his back on her, running his hands through his spiked hair. 

 

She did. And she noticed a tear fall onto her hand as she brought it forward and rested it on the doorknob. She paused for only a second before opening the door and leaving through it. 

 

Sasuke has never been sweet. He had his moments, but he wasn’t an affectionate person. But this wasn’t his usual, thorny exterior. He was obviously upset, and she didn’t know why. She could tell hitting him wouldn’t help this time around. She walked through the halls aimlessly, eventually finding the exit. She felt lost, like her world was falling apart. The pain in her chest intensified, she found it hard to breathe. She walked up onto the bridge nearby and leaned against the railing, watching the shallow water rush along under her feet, speeding to a destination Naru didn't know, each drop determined to get where it was headed. Her throat felt too tight for air to fit through. Panic almost took her, but then someone leaned against the railing next to her.

 

She looked up to see Sakura, looking out at the sky, and toward the river’s source. Naru stared, tracing the girl’s profile.  _ This is beauty. She's everything that I don’t have. _

 

Sakura looked back at her, a sad smile on her lips. “You too huh?”

 

Naru looked away, frowning. “He’s in a weird mood,” She said, “But he just woke up. He’ll be back to normal in no time,” she sounded unconvincing, and her voice was weak.

 

“What did he say to you?” She asked, her tone gaining a defensive edge. Naru shrugged.

 

“Nothing he meant, I’m sure,” She chewed the inside of her cheek, “It’s not important,” 

 

“Well, like you said, I’m sure he didn’t mean it... He called me a desperate groupie and told me all I’d ever be good for is storing information and churning out some Ninja’s kids some day. You’d think he’d be able to come up with something a little more original considering how well he knows us. It’s practically the same thing we always hear, right?”

 

“Yeah. Guys can’t seem to come up with decent insults other than ‘you’re useless except for bearing children,’... remember when Neji said that to me during the Chunin exams?”

 

“Yeah, I couldn’t stop laughing, honestly. Like you’d ever clean a house. And cooking? Whoever you wind up with better like instant noodles,” Sakura let out a little laugh.

 

Naru snorted. “Everyone should like instant noodles,” She looked out over the water again, “Why are boys so hard to understand?”

 

“Cause they’re told that it’s a girl’s job to deal with emotions, and that it makes them weak if they do it,”

 

“That’s stupid. It makes them so… what’s the word for someone who can’t read?”

 

“Illiterate,”

 

“Yeah! Illiterate, but for feelings,”

 

“Emotionally illiterate,” Sakura hummed, looking away up the river, “that’s actually a pretty good way to describe them, Naru-chan,” She held her arms out in front of her, “Boys: Emotionally Illiterate and Lightly Damaged. Konohagakure’s main export,”

 

They both laughed. Naru picked at her fingers for a second as they let it fade. “I hope we don’t actually start exporting them, because despite their many, many,  _many_ faults, I kinda like some of ‘em,” Naru mused, peeling off a hangnail and throwing it into the rushing water. A little bead of blood rose along the nail bed, and she wiped it away. Sakura nodded.

 

“Me too, just a little,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: James Has Changed, Phoebe Ryan
> 
> Sasuke: Greek Tragedy, The Wombats
> 
> Sakura: Feeling Ok, Best Coast


	70. Sasuke, And A Bad Case Of The Grumps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke feels the pressure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke needs to Calm Down And Play Nice

Sasuke was beginning to regret what he’d said to Naru and Sakura. He was discharged from the hospital, and back in the compound, packing for a mission that seemed unimportant in the new scale things had taken. He knew he’d been unfair. He’d known it at the time too, but couldn’t bring himself to care. He’d spent years fixating on Itachi, and his blundering, loud teammate had been the one to find him first. Itachi had actually come to collect her. Everything was so off. 

 

He’d been reminded, brutally, of exactly how weak he was. Itachi had made him feel like a little kid, running into his outstretched fingers, unaware. Slow, and pathetic. And Naru, who’d seemed to take deep root in even this aspect of his life, in which he’d thought she’d remain completely unassociated. His feelings could wait. He had sworn to defeat his brother, and none of what he was doing was getting him strong enough, fast enough.

 

He needed power, and quickly. 

 

He slung his bag over his shoulder and strode out of the deserted compound. She was in the way, and nothing short of this run in with his brother could possibly have opened his eyes. He had told her he’d protect her, sure. He might have this painful, aching feeling in his chest even just thinking about the way she’d looked in that hospital room, but it didn’t matter in the scale of things. He could always come back to his promises to her. She’d wait for him, he was sure of it. There were others, at the moment, who’d step up and protect her while he focused on his first oath. He could kill Itachi and then come back, stronger, and be at her ever waiting side. 

 

He met the other two Genin at the gates. Kakashi was doing something much more important, at least that’s what they’d been told. It was just the three of them. Naru didn’t meet his eyes as he walked up, but Sakura didn’t pull hers from his face for a second. They were about to leave when they heard someone shout out behind them.

 

All three turned too see Kiba and Akamaru sprinting up to them, out of breath and flushed. He skidded to a halt, finally stopping  _ much _ too close to Naru and grinning down at her. His hood had fallen off as he’d run, and he seemed much taller than Sasuke remembered. Maybe it was just because he was standing in front of Naru, who was short for a girl a year younger than they were, let alone an almost-thirteen year old. 

 

“Hey! You were gonna leave without saying goodbye?” Kiba asked, putting his hands on his sides and gasping for breath. Naru smiled, and Sasuke felt that old dragon rise into his chest.

 

“‘Course not, I knew you’d come running up eventually. Where’s your other half?”

 

“Akamaru? He’s right here!” Kiba said, picking the puppy up and plopping him into her arms. She cuddled the dog to her, and Sasuke felt sick, because he was actually feeling jealous of the damn _puppy_.

 

“No,” She said, as another shout echoed through the village, and Shikamaru came out of nowhere, his trouser leg torn. He full body tackled Kiba, swearing profusely. “I meant him,” Naru laughed. 

 

The boys where wrestling in the dirt, and Naru bent down, setting the puppy on the ground and yanking them apart and to their feet. A bruise was blooming on Kiba’s cheekbone, and Sasuke couldn’t help but feel like he was missing something.

 

“You bastard! Did you really think you could lock me in a broom cupboard and I wouldn’t get out?” Shikamaru snarled. Naru laughed again, smiling at the Nara.

 

“Kiba-chan! You didn’t!” She said. Shikamaru turned bright red.

 

“Oh, hey Naru,” He shoved his hands in his pockets. Sasuke could feel the bile rising in his throat as Shikamaru scratched his nose. Naru bit her top lip, trying had not to laugh again.

 

“Shikamaru-kun, you knew I was here, don’t play that shit!” She laughed again and hugged him. Sasuke would have laughed at the way the boy stiffened and blushed, if he hadn’t been envisioning the various was in which he could murder him. 

 

“I’ll see you when I get back, and you too, Kiba-chan,” She hugged him quickly too, and patted Akamaru on the head, “Then we’ll all go get barbeque with Choji-chan again. My treat this time, okay?” She winked at Kiba as she turned away and waved over her shoulder, “Tell Choji-chan I said bye,”

 

“Kick ass Naru-chan!” Kiba said, waving. Shikamaru shot him a glare out of the corner of his eye.

 

“Stay safe out there, Naru,” Shikamaru drawled, keeping one hand in his pocket as he flicked his other in a lazy wave. Maybe he could have carried off his usual, too-cool-to-care vibe… If he hadn’t still been blushing like a tomato. “She’s gonna be gone for days. What a drag,” he said, turning back to Kiba and moving to punch him again. Sasuke turned away. 

 

He looked at Naru instead, who was smiling a little to herself, pulling at her backpack straps and watching her feet. She looked genuinely happy. And she hadn’t looked at him once yet. 

 

“Your friends are stupid,” He snapped, narrowing his eyes. Naru looked up at him, her smile gone and eyes burning.

 

“Yeah, you are,” She replied coldly. Sakura elbowed Naru.

 

“Since when has Shikamaru-san been into you like that?”

 

“He’s not into me, don’t be silly. He’s just rivals with Kiba-chan,”

 

“Yeah, and the sky is pink,” Sakura laughed, elbowing Naru again. Naru rolled her eyes.

 

“Ever seen a sunset in the summertime?” She sighed, hitting a longer stride and smiling at the sky, “I’m just happy that people wanna spend time with me all of a sudden,”

 

“Yeah, it’s surprising. Do you think it’s a dare?” Sasuke ground out, trying to satisfy the jealous monster in his chest. A flicker of hurt passed over Naru’s features, but it was quickly replaced by a grin and a laugh.

 

“Hey, maybe, or a bet. But one of them wins I deserve a cut, dontcha think?” she threw her hands behind her head and laughed again. 

 

_ Fake. It’s all bluster and falsities. She’s hurt. Do I feel guilty? _ Sakura scowled at him and threw her arm awkwardly around Naru’s shoulder.  _She thinks I should..._

 

“Well I think it’s obvious. They like you. They  _ like  _ like you. And it’s cute! Who do you like better? They’re both really fit,”

 

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Naru said, flushing a little. Sasuke realised he was gripping his fists so hard his nails were cutting his palms. He forced his hands to unclench and wiped the blood on his shirt, glad the fabric was dark enough to hide it.

 

“Yeah Sakura-san, don’t be ridiculous,” Sasuke snapped, rolling his eyes in and exaggerated way, “Who would like Naru? She’s annoying and noisy and not much else,”  _ Me. I like her. Fuck. _

 

“Sasuke-kun, if you please, remove the stick from your ass, no one wants to hear your grousing,” Sakura snapped, quickly turning back to Naru and whispering something in her ear that made her do an ugly, snorting laugh and glance back at him. He turned red and sped up, overtaking them and leading them down the road. 

 

It took awhile, but they made it to a shady tea house with an unfriendly matron. They stopped there, ordering some food and drinks. Sasuke felt irritated as Naru slid into the booth next to Sakura, instead of him, like she used to. 

 

They were laughing about something Lee had said to Naru, about Gai wanting to give her one of his jumpsuits. Naru kept saying she’d wear it, but only if she could cut the sleeves off. She flexed as she said it, and Sakura laughed, grabbing her arm and feeling Naru’s bicep. Sasuke’s nails made dents in the table that he didn’t know he was gripping.  _I should probably cut them before they start breaking._  A teenage boy strode in, and sat at the counter alone. He kept looking over at the girls, and Sasuke diverted his attention to him instead. 

 

Eventually, after he'd eaten and drank all he ordered, he walked over, leaning on the table, his eyes on Sakura. 

 

“Being a ninja is pointless, you’re all wasting your time,” He glanced at Naru, and Sasuke, but then stared back at Sakura, smirking.

 

“What did you just say? I must have misheard you,” Naru growled, throwing her arm across Sakura and leaning forward slightly, blocking her from sight. 

 

“You’re wasting your time,” he said, leaning back to look at Sakura again, “You should run away with me and quit this whole soldiergirl routine,” 

 

“She’s good, thanks,” Naru snapped, narrowing her eyes. 

 

“Why dontcha let her say it, kid?” The boy sneered, glaring at Naru. Naru glared back.

 

“You asked for it,” She said, settling back in her seat and revealing Sakura, who placed her left hand on the table and grinned at the boy.

 

“Fuck off, kid, before I mop the floor with you,” She said, her voice lilting in a way Sasuke didn’t recognise. The boy stepped back, and shrugged.

 

“Whatever, stick around and play ninja with your boyfriends, doesn’t make a difference to me,” And he left. Naru glowered at his back the whole time he was leaving, and then the matron came over with the bill. Naru picked it up and read it, her expression becoming more confused with each line.

 

“We didn’t order tea for four. And this food… we didn’t get these,”

 

“Your friend at the counter ordered them, he said you’d pick up the tab,” The woman said. Naru grit her teeth and paid, leaving her usual overlarge tip and leaping to her feet.

 

“Oh well! let’s go have a word with our pal then,” she snarled, her jaw threatening to lock permanently. She strode out of the tea house, and both Sasuke and Sakura scrambled to follow her. 

 

_ This is good. I need a fight right now. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke: Basement Ghost, Made Violent
> 
> Naru: You Dont Think You Like People Like Me, Alex Lahey
> 
> Sakura: L-L-L-Leave Me Alone, Alex Lahey
> 
> The boyz: Short Skirt/ Long Jacket, Cake (hellllll yessssssssss this soooooonggggg)


	71. Naru, And Squirrel Boy- The Lamest XMan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Boys suck, Naru hates them

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have also had the urge to smash peoples faces in.

Naru leapt from tree to tree, leaving Sakura and Sasuke behind, until she spotted him. He was jogging, not looking too hurried, and not paying attention to his surroundings.

 

She overtook him, dropped out of the trees and landed firmly in his path. He stopped, looking her up and down, then looking around.

 

“Where’s your cute friend?”

 

“Where’s the money you owe me, you squirrely looking motherfucker?”

 

The boy laughed, but seemed disconcerted when Sasuke landed very close behind him.

 

“Naru here was kind enough to pick up your tab, but you should probably pay her back,” He said, low and vaguely threatening, “She’s been known to act without thinking things through,” The boy looked shocked.

 

“You’re a girl?” 

 

“Doesn’t matter, run me my money,” she said, cracking her knuckles and walking forward. The boy gave a nervous laugh and quickly sat down. Both Naru and Sasuke were taken aback, but then he undid the fastenings on a pair of leg weights, just like Lee’s, and dropped them on the ground. The dust that was kicked up enshrouded them, and when it cleared enough to see, the boy was gone. Naru whipped around, and they could see him already hundreds of yards away, kicking up dirt behind him like a small tornado.

 

“Fuck! Now how am I gonna get my money back?” Naru said, stomping her foot and throwing her hands up. Sakura landed next to her.

 

“We can split the cost, don’t worry,” she said, moving to put her hand on Naru’s shoulder. Naru just brushed her off.

 

“Little… Squirrely lookin… sexist… shit bag,” She grit out, turning on her heel and stomping down the road in the same direction the boy left in. Sasuke and Sakura followed, yet again. Naru chewed on her top lip, trying to condense her anger into a manageable ball. 

 

They continued on toward the Land of Tea. They didn’t talk much, Naru was grinding her teeth and Sasuke was still sulking about… whatever it was that was upsetting him. 

 

It wasn’t long after their second encounter with squirrel boy that they arrived at the town they were meant to be in for their mission. They walked through the miserable streets and Sakura bought them all a bag of konpeito. Naru smiled when Sakura handed her the little plastic sachet, and they walked side by side eating the beads of sugar, Sasuke trailing behind, not touching his.

 

They strode toward their destination at a slow, easy pace, having arrived at the town a little early. Sakura paused, and at first, Naru thought she was shopping again, but then someone shouted and Naru saw a pair of goons hassling some little old man about something. 

 

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?” She barked, stepping forward. One of the men Glanced toward her.

 

“Stay out of it kid!” He snapped, before turning back to face the old man.

 

“I’m already in it! I’m here!” She snapped, walking up to him and poking him in the small of the back. He turned again, staring down at her like she was an insect of some kind. 

 

“I said, back off,” He growled, shoving her shoulder. She grabbed his hand quickly and slammed her elbow down on his forearm, snapping it clean. He fell to his knees with the force of the blow. The other guy finally turned from the old vendor to see Naru grabbing his friend’s head and slamming him face first into her knee.

 

“What the-“ he turned and made to grab her, but she used his slumping friend like a springboard to get on an eye level with him and punched him in the face. He went sprawling backward, skidding to a halt a few feet away. She heard someone scream. 

 

Sakura strode forward, past the first unconscious man and helped the old vendor up, who was looking very shaken. 

 

“It’s okay,” she said, her voice soothing, “They won’t bother you anymore, your safe,” but he just pointed a shaking hand at Naru.

 

“You should have stayed out of it, now they’ll come back, and they’ll blame me for this!” He gestured wildly at the two thugs, bleeding on the ground. Naru bristled.

 

“What, you wanted me to just stand by and let them beat you?” 

 

“You should have just walked on by, like everyone else!” He snapped. Sasuke’s hand closed around Naru’s wrist. 

 

“Let’s go, it’s not worth it,” He hissed in her ear, looking around at the gathering crowd. She pulled her hand away. 

 

“Whatever,” She nudged the first guy with her foot, his broken arm shifting sickeningly. It had done nothing to ease her anger. She wondered if she really should have left them to beat the old man. Sasuke just grabbed her wrist again, more firmly this time, and dragged her down the road. She wasn’t really paying attention to what was happening, or where they were. She just let him lead her along. His hand slipped at some point from her wrist and into her own, and her brain rewired itself, focusing entirely on the place where his hand met with hers. Her whole world was just the way their fingers interlocked. 

 

Until he let go.

 

They were in some strange, incredibly traditional house, standing barefoot and waiting to be invited in. The door slid open and Sakura walked in first. Naru shook herself, trying to focus, and followed her teammates. 

 

There was a man dressed in fine clothing, seated in front of…

 

“Hey! Squirrel boy!” she said, walking up to him and leaning in, putting her hand over his head and tilting it to the side, grinning. She could _feel_ Sakura tensing up. The boy had gone white. Maybe he’d noticed the blood on her knuckles and knee, or maybe he just had good survival instincts, but either way, he looked scared.

 

“Idate-san, do you know these three?” The man asked. Naru dropped down and crossed her legs, grinning at him and throwing an arm around the boy,  _ Idate’s _ shoulders.

 

“Yeah! We all met on the road on the way here,”  Naru said, “We all became  _ best  _ friends, right Squirrel boy?”

 

“R-right,” Idate said.

 

“Oh, good, because they’re your security detail for the race,”

 

“Uh, I’m sorry, Jirocho-sama, but I’m not sure I really need a security detail. I’m too fast, they won’t be able to keep up,” 

 

“Oh we’ve seen you run, buddy,” Naru said, pulling him in and bumping her bloodied knuckles across his chin, “I’m  _ sure _ we’ll manage just fine,”

 

Idate looked at her, eyes narrowed slightly. Naru just flashed him another grin and looked over at the boss.

 

“So, bossman, why do you need us for a race, exactly? Has Squirrel boy made some dangerous enemies?” Naru asked, shaking Idate a little. She tuned Jirocho out after that, she just stared unblinkingly at Idate, who was sweating. 

 

After they had all been informed of the backstories of the families and the history of the race, Jirocho bade Idate walk them to their rooms. He did so, reluctantly, trying hard not to convey how bitter he obviously was. Naru let her teammates take the first two rooms, and then, when they came to hers, she grabbed Idate by the collar and whipped him into the room, slamming the door behind herself and standing in front of it, hands on her hips. 

 

“What… what are you doing?” Idate asked, scrambling back. Naru rolled her eyes.

 

“I’m not gonna kill you. I’m your security. No promises on bruises though. Twelve fifty,”

 

“W-What?” He asked, confused. Naru tossed her bag onto the sleeping mat. 

 

“Twelve fifty,” She said, untying her headband and walking forward, folding it and laying it gently by her thin pillow. Idate blinked stupidly. She looked over at him, exasperated, “You owe me twelve fifty for the food and tea. I assume bossman pays you. Pony up, squirrel boy,”

 

Idate exhaled. “I thought you were, like, naming how many people you’d killed or something,”

 

“No, I have no clue how many people I’ve killed,” She shrugged. “Probably less than that though. I know Sakura-chan killed her first guy up close during the Chunin exams-“

 

“You guys took the chunin exams?”

 

Naru looked up at him, a little taken aback. “Yeah. Sasuke-kun and I made it to the main event. Sakura-chan got disqualified in the prelims, though. Personal reasons…” She squinted at him. “Are you going to pay me back, or am I going to have to tell your boss you rob people on your spare time?”

 

Idate scanned her features, and then reached into his pocket. He pulled out some crumpled bills, and handed them over. Naru smiled and took them.

 

“Pleasure doing business,” She said, “Now get out. I sleep in my underwear,”

 

“That’s an image I never fucking needed,” Idate sighed, getting to his feet and leaving, sliding the door shut gently behind himself. Naru looked down at the money in her hand. 

 

_Shit. I still wanna beat someone._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Afro Puffs, The Lady Of Rage
> 
> Sakura: The Bolder Thing To Do, Gregory And The Hawk
> 
> Sasuke: Mexico, Cake
> 
> Idate: Sabotage, Beastie Boys


	72. Sakura and Ibara, Differing Opinions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakura has to deal with a lot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sakura has a soulmate and she’s a freeloading asshole

The race was starting at sunset, and Jirocho Wasabi was busy with preparations for the race. Sakura was planning as best she could, stretching and swearing to herself that she’d make sure the little bastard, Idate, won. She thought of the old vendor that Naru had tried to help. They all deserved better than the Wagarashi’s. No one deserved to live in terror.

 

She thought about how Ibara had taken the body while Idate bothered them. _That boy really owed Naru for stepping in._ It was at the moment that thought occurred Naru strode into the courtyard, hands in her pockets, kicking rocks.

 

“Yo,” she said, ruffling her hair and frowning. Sakura waved.

 

“Hey Naru-chan,” She searched her teammates features. She looked downright miserable. “What’s wrong?”

 

“Huh? Why do you think something’s wrong?” Naru asked, frowning. Sakura blinked.

 

“You look unhappy,”

 

“Uh, I guess I was just thinkin bout the guys back home. I mean, I’ve kinda got used to having people around… And… well, honestly, Sasuke’s attitude has got me feelin weird,”

 

Sakura nodded. Ibara had been raring to have a go at Sasuke for the last few days. She was aching to jump him.

 

“Yeah, but don’t worry about it too much. He’s just upset he got beat up by his brother. I can’t blame him, not really,”

 

**_I can._ **

 

_Shut up. No one asked you._

 

“Uh huh. Well, I don’t care. The guys have my back whatever. It doesn’t matter,”

 

“I’ve got your back too, Naru-chan,” Sakura said. Ibara shifted awkwardly.

 

_What are you doing?_

 

Naru smiled. Ibara started making a lot of noise all at once. Like bells chiming.

 

 ** _I have her back too!_** She yelled over the din, **_I really, really have her back. Damn! I wanna put her in my pocket!_**

 

_You don’t have pockets, you’re a disembodied manifestation of suppressed emotion._

 

_**If I had pockets I’d put her in one.** _

 

 _Noted_.

 

“Thanks Sakura-chan. It’s nice to have a girl friend,” She said. There was an awkward pause. “I meant a friend who is a girl. Not like I think we’re dating, or anything. Sorry,”

 

“It’s fine, don’t worry,” Sakura said reassuringly, struggling to ignore Ibara, who was wolf whistling like a drunken construction worker.

 

_Shut up._

 

 ** _What? I exist for shit like this_**.

 

“Uh, I’m gonna go patrol some more now,” Naru said, edging backward away from Sakura. Sakura wanted to sink through the floor.

 

“Oh, okay, see ya!” She smiled. Naru scrambled away.

 

**_I can see why boys like her. She’s adorable._ **

 

 _We don’t like girls_.

 

**_We don’t? We don’t like Naru, I know that, but no girls at all? News to me._ **

 

_We like Sasuke._

 

 ** _Seems forced, but whatever. Not my bag_**.

 

Sakura rolled her eyes and went back to stretching. Ibara began humming loudly. Sakura groaned.

 

“Stop just making noise for the sake of it! Damn! I can’t focus!” She snarled. She straightened up, and Sasuke was frozen, mid step, in front of her.

 

“Not you too. I wasn’t making any noise. Shit, does my stealth really need that much work?” He drawled, running his hand through his hair distractedly. Sakura couldn’t even come up with a good cover, because Ibara was screaming from mirth.

 

“Yes,” She said, staring at him, appalled with herself. He flushed and stormed off in the same direction Naru had gone without saying goodbye. Sakura collapsed on the ground and groaned.

 

**_Is this like, a new thing you’re doing? Are you trying to make it so awkward between you three that you have to retire from being a Ninja? Oh my gods- did you actually get convinced by squirrel boy? Are you gonna run away with him? Let me out, I don’t wanna be in a body with you if you think he’s cute._ **

 

_Murder me. You’re ruining my life._

 

_**No, you’re ruining your life. I’m just along for the ride.** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sakura: Last Hope, Paramore
> 
> Ibara: crushcrushcrush, paramore


	73. Naru, and more gutterbrain than necessary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru is aggravated and protection detail isn’t good for a bad mood

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> have you ever noticed how sayings kinda get popular amongst friends?
> 
> gutterbrain

They were gathered at the starting line. Naru couldn’t take her eyes off Idate, stretching with a bored expression on his face. He had barely glanced at the other runner. She could feel a chakra that seemed familiar, but only slightly. Something was off, but she couldn’t place her finger on it. She would have looked around her, but she couldn’t. Her eyes refused to move from the scrawny older boy. They were truly stuck.

 

She couldn’t figure him out. He perplexed her. Like he was some kind of puzzle.  _ I’m shit at puzzles. _ She bit her top lip, feeling the chapped skin break under her teeth. Everything the kid did just made her feel confused.

 

Especially when the race started and he sprinted off in the wrong direction.

 

“What’s he doing?” Sasuke asked as they took off after him. He really was fast. Naru knew Sakura would have trouble keeping up. 

 

“Some dumb shit, I’m sure, but he’s not going to tell us, that’s for sure,” Naru growled, wiping away a bead of sweat forming on her forehead. She knew better than to try to match the runner’s speed to start. She was no sprinter. Too much weight training had made her heavy with muscle, and cardio had become a weak point. She didn’t want to use chakra already, because she may need to transfer some to Sakura after a while, and the familiar chakra signature made her nervous. Her mind kept going back to the chunin exams, but she wasn’t sure if it was just because she’d talked about them with Idate the night before.

 

“He’s really fast,” Sakura panted. Naru looked at her.

 

“No wonder he can’t get girls,”

 

Sakura then a shuriken at her that she dodged, snorting.

 

“Ew. Be quiet, gutterbrain,” 

 

“Both of you should be quiet, we don’t know how long we have to run for,” Sasuke said, face stoic despite the sweat beginning to run down it. Naru shrugged.

 

They ran after him through woods, but something seemed off. Sakura noticed it first. She brought her hands together and closed her eyes, focusing.

 

“Release!” She said. She opened her eyes back up and slowed down a little. “Guys, wait up, it’s a double. Do another release,”

 

They all copied her, and found they were all set to charge off a cliff. Idate was already close to the edge. Naru sprinted after him, biting her thumb and summoning her acid green toad, and jumping onto her back. She leapt off the cliff just in time to catch Idate’s ankle, and the toad wrapped her tongue around Naru’s waist. The toad began hoisting them back up. Idate was flailing.

 

“Hold still! Damn it!” Naru snapped, considering knocking him against the cliff face. she redoubled her grip on the boy. He kicked her shoulder.

 

“Fuck! what happened?” He screeched. Naru snarled, her feet finally scrambling for purchase on the ground. She whipped the boy upward and then yanked him into the ground behind her, laying him out flat. The toad loosened her tongue and croaked.

 

Naru patted her head and smiled at her. “Thanks, Nancy-chan, You’re the best,” 

 

“What’s that?” Idate asked. Naru glanced at all of them. Sasuke was looking at her, a little upset, and Sakura looked amazed.

 

“You learned how to summon last month?” She asked, striding over and looking closely at Nancy. Naru ruffles her hair.

 

“No I learned to summon before the chunin final. Shame I never got to show old man Sarutobi, he woulda liked Kichi-chan a lot,”

 

“What, you’ve known how to do this for that long and you never told me?” Sasuke asked. Naru looked at him and squinted.

 

“Hey, we haven’t exactly had a lot of face time for the last two and a bit months. Don’t be a child, you don’t keep me up to date either,”

 

“Why would you want to summon big ugly toads?” Idate said, standing and dusting himself off. Nancy croaked loudly, and Naru turned to her.

 

“Nancy-chan don’t listen to him! He’s just being an ass cause he doesn’t like me. You’re beautiful!” She patted her reassuringly before looking back at Idate, “ It comes in useful when you have to rescue idiots from flinging themselves off cliffs. You should be thankful. That makes twice I saved your ass,”

 

“What was the first time?” He sneered, squaring up to her. He was a lot taller. Naru glared up at him, craning her neck a little to do it.

 

“From me,” Sakura snapped, cracking her knuckles. Naru saw her left arm twitch oddly. “She saved you from me in the tea house. Lucky for us all, actually, because you turned out to be our mission,”

 

“This is taking too much time. Where are we going?” Sasuke said, crossing his arms sulkily. Naru looked back up at Idate, who was looking around him, disconcerted. She shoved him back, out of her face. 

 

“Okay squirrel boy, where to?” she asked, rolling her neck and turning back to Nancy.

 

“We’re headed to a boathouse not far from here,” He sniffed. “it’s actually a little way back. That genjutsu made me outshoot it…”

 

Naru rolled her eyes. She glanced at Sakura, who was sweating and still short of breath. “Sakura-chan, why don’t you hop on Nancy and hitch a ride? That way you can keep an eye out for more genjutsu,”

 

Sakura blushed a little, probably seeing through what Naru was doing, but climbed onto Nancy’s back anyway and gripped tightly. Naru smiled. 

 

“Use a lil chakra to hang on. It won’t hurt her, she’s tough,” Naru winked at Nancy, Who croaked again, and they all took off. 

 

It really wasn’t far to the boathouse at all. They made it there and there was an old man waiting for them. Naru didn’t wait for whatever weird explanation there was, she just hopped into the boat and sat down, cross legged. 

 

Eventually Idate, Nancy the toad, Sakura, and Sasuke all hopped on the boat too. They pulled out toward the island. Naru squinted at Idate.

 

“Hey I gotta question,” 

 

“God, what now?” He groaned, looking over at her. He was obviously an experienced sailor, pulling down on ropes with surprising strength. Naru ran her tongue over her teeth, trying her best to measure her words.

 

“Why doesn’t bossman just hire an assassin to kill the Wagarashi’s?” Naru asked, picking at her fingernail absentmindedly. Idate looked shocked.

 

“Jirocho-Sama would never hire someone to murder people,”

 

“He hired us easy enough,” Naru said, shrugging, “We’re under the expectation we might murder people,”

 

“You were hired as protection,” Idate snapped, “Not assassins,” he looked away from her, “That’s what the Wagarashi’s would do,”

 

Naru tilted her head, “You talk like you think they aren’t playing fair. There aren’t any rules here. They have full rights to try to kill you, if they want. They probably hired people to do just that. Why keep playing fair if the other team changed the game?”

 

“Because it’s the right thing to do?” Idate snapped. “Do Ninja have any honour at all? How can you think like this?”

 

“Naru-chan has a plenty of honour,” Sakura said, crossing her arms and leaning against the side of the boat, “She just doesn’t like you,”

 

“Is there honour in allowing Tyranny to persist when you have the power to stop it?” Naru groused, getting up and patting Nancy. She could feel six sets of eyes on her back. She was thinking about the old man again. How he’d been so scared. “History is written by the victors. Every revolution started as a group of honourless traitors,” Naru frowned.  _ I’m just saying this because I’m pissed. I know I’m just sulking.  _

 

“Dobe,” Sasuke said, his voice low, “Watch what you say,” 

 

Naru frowned. She felt a strange chakra again. “Someone’s coming, I don’t know who. Why can’t I stop thinking about the damn Chunin exams?!”

 

A boat peeked over the horizon, dark and threatening. Naru narrowed her eyes.  _ This isn’t good. _

 

_ “ _ Can’t this stupid thing go any faster?” Sakura snapped at Idate, who was yanking more ropes around. Naru looked at Nancy. 

 

“Keep them safe, I’m gonna go do some stupid shit,” She said, and ran to the back of the boat. She hooked her knees over the edge and flipped backward, her spine bruising as she slammed against the side of the boat. She brought her hands together and unscrewed them, bringing forward a weak rasengan. She pushed both hands underwater. 

 

The boat shot forward, and they regained their lead, But Naru was unsteady, her hands being crushed back against the boat with the resistance of the water. She felt someone walk up and put their hands on her thighs, trying to steady her, but she felt like she was in a taffy puller. 

 

“Dobe! What are you doing?”  _ Sasuke. _

 

She just grunted in pain. Something was happening. The water was getting dark. She released the Jutsu, and curled up, Sasuke grabbing her and pulling her back onto the boat. They ran forward. 

 

“They did something! We can’t move!” Idate barked, fear overtaking his features again. Naru frowned. Who was doing this?

 

Suddenly, there were clones on the boat. They looked familiar.

 

“Guys!” Sakura shouted, shoving Idate toward Naru, who grabbed him and held him behind her, “It’s those losers from the Chunin exams! The ones whose teammate I killed!” It clicked in Naru’s head. _That’s the chakra I’ve been feeling!_

 

Sasuke and Sakura started fighting, but Naru turned and grabbed Idate by the collar.  “Can you swim?” She shouted in his face. He seemed paralysed with fear. The boat had caught fire. Naru looked over her shoulder to see Nancy whip a clone away from Sakura, who’d seized the ship’s mast and yanked it off the boat, swinging it along at head level. Naru dropped to the ground to dodge, bringing Idate with her. Naru saw Sasuke hit the ground too, hopefully in a similar dodge and not because he’d been hit. She looked at Idate again and smacked him. “Can you swim motherfucker?” She screamed, yanking him to his feet. He nodded.

 

“Yes! Yes I can swim!” He said, a bright red handprint rising on his cheek. She grinned. 

 

“Good!” And she heaved him up and tossed him into the water, beyond the black substance the enemy had used to stop them. Naru ran over to Sasuke, who was back on his feet, fighting again. She stood back to back with him.

 

“This is no good! we’re not making any progress!” He snapped, swinging at a vaporous clone. Naru nodded.

 

“We gotta get off this boat!” 

 

“How?”

 

“Nancy! Throw us off the boat then go home!” Naru shouted. Nancy croaked in acknowledgement and threw Sakura first. Sakura skipped across the top of the water like a stone, quickly followed by Sasuke, and then Naru.

 

They all stayed on the surface, gasping for breath and watching the ship go down. Nancy was gone, back to the mountain. Sakura looked exhausted, sitting on the water, her hair plastered to her forehead.

 

“Geez, you’re like Shikamaru-kun, no stamina,” Naru laughed, helping her to her feet. Sakura laughed too. 

 

“How would you know that?” She said, waggling her eyebrows. Naru snorted.

 

“Who has gutterbrain now?” Naru looked around. “Can you guys see squirrel boy any-“

 

But a hand wrapped around her ankle, and she was yanked under water.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Vicious , Halestorm (They have a new album this year i’m so happy) 
> 
> Sakura: Killing Ourselves To Live, Halestorm
> 
> Sasuke: Bite My Tongue, You Me At Six
> 
> Idate: One Foot, Airways


	74. Ibara and Sakura, Fighting for Air

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ibara and Sakura need to figure their shit out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I (12F) Can't get my soulmate (12F) to let me have the body (12F) so I can fight everyone on earth. What can I say to get her to let go of the meat suit?

Ibara hardly had time to react before she was being pulled under the surface too. She knew Sasuke was shortly behind her. They’d both been able to take a breath, unlike Naru, Who’d been midsentence when she was dragged down into the water. Ibara kicked herself loose, and swam over to Sasuke, breaking his captor’s grip. They both looked down to see Naru, who was fighting, but obviously running out of steam, her face going purple from lack of oxygen. Ibara swam upward, and broke the surface, gasping for air and then filling her mouth with fresh air ducking back beneath the waves, swimming down and grabbing Naru, pulling her face to her own and locking lips. Ibara pushed the air from her mouth into Naru’s, and watched her realise what she was doing. 

 

Naru’s eyes sharpened slightly, and she crossed her hands, conjuring up a few clones, who all brought their hands together and then suddenly whipped them apart. Using whatever it was that she’d conjured in her palms as a propeller, a clone wrapped her arms around Ibara and brought her back to the surface. Sasuke was there, being held fast by another clone. 

 

“Naru? The real Naru?”

 

“No, a clone,” Ibara said, flicking the copy in the head.

 

“I’m still a real Naru,” The clone holding Ibara protested. Sasuke screamed in frustration, slamming his hand down onto the surface of the water and punching his clone out of existence. He dove back down, and the clone holding Ibara frowned.

 

“Rude...” She said. She looked at Ibara. “You’re not gonna burst me, are you?”

 

“I’m not sure burst is the word you want,” Sakura said, wrestling her way back to the controls, pushing Ibara back,  “But I’m not that strong a swimmer, and we need to go find Idate-san, he’s our mission,”

 

“Okay, let’s go,” The clone said, climbing up out of the water and onto its surface, holding out her hand to Sakura and helping her up. Sakura climbed onto the surface, and they both took off running to shore. Sakura flexed her hands as she ran, trying not to give away that something was up. 

 

As they drew closer, they set eyes on a tall, green haired man wearing what looked like a wet suit, holding an umbrella and talking to Idate, who was on the ground. The clone shot forward and leapt over Idate, just in time to shield him from a shower of needles. She disappeared, and Sakura took her place, standing over Idate as he sat up straighter, looking up at her. 

 

“Did Naru-san just… fucking... die?”

 

“She was a clone, stupid,” Sakura snapped, staring at the stranger. “Get back or get running. Naru-chan and Sasuke-kun will be along shortly,”

 

“Ah, a leaf ninja, brings back memories, ey, Idate-san?” the man laughed, twirling his umbrella.

 

Sakura whipped a few shuriken at him, which he dodged easily. 

 

**_He’s quick, Sakura._ **

 

_ I noticed. _

 

She felt Idate scoot backward, away from her. The knew the stranger was likely going to change his angle and try to attack Idate again, and knew she couldn’t beat him without Sasuke and Naru watching her back. Not even close. She needed to either escape with Idate or buy enough time that they show up. Sakura chewed the inside of her cheek.

 

**_Let me do this._ **

 

_ I can’t risk it. I need to keep our head on through this. _

 

**_The only way we keep our head whole is if you let me handle this guy. Let go._ **

 

_ But… _

 

**_There isn’t time to argue! I’m taking the meat suit!_ **

 

And she did. Sakura was pushed back for the second time that day, and Ibara pulled two knives, twirling the one in her left hand. She grinned. Sakura could feel it. She hated the sensation of her body moving without her. How did Ibara put up with it? She felt a needle go through her arm, but it didn’t even slow Ibara down. She was hitting the guy- actually landing punches- and the guy was _affected_ by them. He was obviously feeling the fight after only a few minutes. 

 

“Out of practice? Or did you always suck?” Ibara laughed, charging forward and driving her fist hard into his sternum, dodging his kick by flipping backward. But she’d given him too much room. He was preparing another needle attack. 

 

_ Those needles are posioned. We aren’t Naru! We can’t take another hit, do you hear me? Grab Idate and run!  _ Sakura screamed. Ibara nodded and sprinted back, grabbing Idate and pulling him into the sea, dragging him underwater. Needles hit the surface, and Ibara saw the poison rinse away as the metal spikes drifted through the water, easy to wave away. 

 

_ Quick thinking.  _ Sakura admitted.

 

**_I am your other half, after all._ ** Ibara smirked. There was a sudden strong current, and Ibara planted her hand on the rocks below them, gripping Idate with all her strength and channeling her chakra in order to keep anchored. They couldn’t last much longer, but the current died down and Sakura let go of the rock and Idate, swimming upward with him by her side. When she surfaced, Naru was standing on the rocks, holding her hand out and smiling tightly, in a way that told Ibara she was putting up a front.

 

“Hey Sakura-chan, thanks for finding Squirrel boy. What happened? There’s poisoned needles all over the place, and some blood over on the rocks,”

 

**_Sakura, this seems like it’s gonna get boring. Can you take it from here?_ **

 

_ Yeah. No problem. _

 

**_Thank god._ ** And Ibara let go, allowing Sakura to grab Naru’s hand and be pulled from the roiling sea. Naru reached down and grabbed Idate, who was looking shaken, but unharmed.

 

“So, this is what happened,” Sakura said, flexing her hands, one going numb and painful from the poison. She explained, and Ibara stayed quiet, even when Sakura took credit for her fighting.  After she was done, however, Ibara piped up.

 

**_We have to figure this out, don’t we?_ **

 

_ Yeah. We do. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ibara: Painkiller, Halestorm
> 
> Sakura: Dirty Mind, Halestorm


	75. Naru, you can't just punch people

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru hits someone who maybe didn't need to get hit that hard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for participating

Naru shifted, spitting blood out onto the floor of the cave. She lowered her mouth back to the wound on Sakura’s arm and started sucking again. Sakura flinched, but Naru just held her arm still. She spat more infected blood out, and settled onto her haunches. Wiping the blood from her mouth.

 

“Does it feel any better?” She asked, raising her eyebrows. Sakura frowned.

 

“Kinda… but who knows if it’s placebo or not?”

 

“I don’t. Kakashi told me to drain poison from my blood before, remember? He thought it would work,”

 

Idate looked away, fidgeting again. Naru shot him a dirty look.

 

“What? You scared of blood or something?” She said, spitting again. He glared at her, his eyes flicking to her bloody mouth. 

 

“No, I just don’t want to wait any longer for Sakura-san to feel better,”

 

“Well, that’s okay. I’ll be fine, you three go on ahead,”

 

“We aren’t leaving you, Sakura-chan,” Naru protested. Sasuke grit his teeth. 

 

“Well, Dobe, why don’t you go ahead with Idate-san and Sakura-san and I will catch up to you?”

 

“Teme, you couldn’t take care of a houseplant, let alone an injured person! No, we stick together or nothing at all!”

 

“This is a race, not a survival challenge. You’re my security. If you’re hurt and stuck here you do me no damn good!” Idate snapped, standing up and glaring at them. Something inside Naru snapped. She jumped up and punched him straight in the face without warning. He toppled backward, and Sakura groaned.

 

“Naru! He had a point!”

 

“A bitchass, shitty, ungrateful point,” Naru snarled, glaring down at him. Sasuke leaned forward and lifted his eyelid, looking almost disinterested.

 

“He’s just knocked out, but like it or not, he was right-”

 

“Not you too-”

 

“Shut it!” Sasuke said, his sharingan flicking on as he glared up at her. She exhaled sharply, trying desperately to get a handle on herself. “He was right. He’s a piece of shit, but he was definitely right. And we need to make sure he doesn’t get too far behind, for the sake of the town. We need to split up. You can take him to the first temple, and we’ll wait till Sakura-san feels better. Then we’ll meet up again on the way to the second temple. Got it?”

 

“Yeah, I got it,” She snapped, reaching down and slinging Idate over her shoulders. She frowned down at Sasuke, wanting to say something to make him feel better, or something to make  _ her _ feel better. She thought about how she'd carried him that same way through the chunin exams. She wished things could go back to how they were.

 

“Don’t leave it too long,” She said, her voice still cold. He nodded. She looked over at Sakura, who was disinfecting her own wound and wincing as she wrapped it. “And stay safe. Both of you,” She shifted Idate on her shoulders and left. 

 

It was strange, being alone, and eventually some of the anger in her chest began to unwind. It was a strange thing, really, how much she hated being lonely, but how much better she felt when no one was around. Paradoxical, like the rest of her life. How she always wanted the people who didn’t want her back, how she was constantly chasing the approval of people who didn’t want to give it to her.

 

Idate twitched and groaned. She lowered him to the ground, propping him up against a tree and reaching into her bag, pulling out some ration bars and a small bag of chips that were probably crushed to powder, and she sat across from him.

 

He blinked his eyes open, one of his cheekbones bruised and his face arranged into a look of pain and general dissatisfaction. Naru held out a ration bar at him.

 

“Ugh… What happened?” He grunted, taking it and touching his face gingerly. Naru opened her own bar.

 

“You hit your head,” She said, matter of factly, taking a bite out of the bar and chewing it. He pulled a face.

 

“On what?”

 

“My fist,” She said. He glared at her, but opened his bar. 

 

“I feel like I got hit by a battering ram,” He groused, taking a bite. Naru laughed. It felt fake, forced, but she did it anyway.

 

“Thanks. I wasn’t  _ trying _ to knock you out, but I guess you’re not as tough as you act,”

 

“Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

 

“No, I honestly don’t care how you feel. I don’t like you very much,” She said, bluntly. Another bite. They both chewed for a moment, staring at each other.

 

“Why?” He asked, resting his hand in his lap and looking at her. She blinked.

 

“Why what? Why don’t I like you? Couldn’t have anything to do with the fact you started off this particular relationship by robbing me. No. Couldn’t be that. Maybe it's your sandals?”

 

“No, asshole, I meant if you hate me so much then why are you feeding me? Sure, carrying me is just your job or whatever, but this?” he waved the ration bar in front of her, “you didn’t need to be nice,”

 

She blinked again. The irritation she'd been feeling winding straight back up between her lungs. “We aren’t far from the first temple. You shouldn’t move too much though, I might have rattled your brains a lil too hard,”

 

“How are we supposed to get there then?” He snapped. 

 

“I carried you this far,” She shrugged, finishing her bar and tossing him the crushed chips. She walked over and scooped him up. Idate’s eyes shot wide open and he looked up at her, frowning dramatically. “What?” She groaned.  _Maybe I can just knock him out again._

 

“Well, one... strong,” he said pointing at her unhappily, “And two, do you… do you  _ have _ to carry me like... this?” he indicated her grip on him. It was a standard princess lift, convenient and comfortable. 

 

Naru rolled her eyes. “How do you  _ want _ to be carried, then?”

 

“Can’t you just… Piggyback me or something?” He groaned. She sighed and set him on his feet.

 

“Fine, fine, get on my back then, you..." she struggled for an insult, "dork,” He climbed onto her back and put his arms over her shoulders, the bag of chips dangling from one of his hands. She hiked his thighs further up her sides and started trotting along. It was much less comfortable than the other lift.  _I definitely should have knocked him back out._

 

Idate opened the bag of chips and started munching, crumbs falling into her hair.

 

“Hey squirrel boy?”

 

“Yeah,”

 

“If you were wondering why I don’t like you, it’s cause of shit like this,” she said, shaking her head, flinging crumbs out like water droplets. Idate laughed.

 

“Yeah. I can see that,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Grow Up, Paramore
> 
> Sakura: Singin' My Soul, Gin Wigmore
> 
> Idate: Pretty Pink Ribbon, Cake
> 
> Sasuke: Wolves Without Teeth, Of Monsters and Men
> 
> (for the record, i know you can't suck poison out of a wound. but what can i say? it makes for good tv)


	76. Idate, And The Girl Who Punches People

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru is strong

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the government is probably worried about my google search history.

It had been hard for Idate to believe that this diminutive leaf nin had gotten further than he in the chunin exams. At first, that is. But then he had seen her summon something from thin air to save him. And there he thought,  _ okay, so she learned some skills I don’t have. _

 

And then she’d thrown him like a rag doll off of a burning boat and stayed on the boat to help her friends and he thought,  _ oh, so she's strong. And she likes her teammates. She works with them well. _

 

But the thing that made it all click, what his brother Ibiki had always been trying to tell him, was when she’d handed him that stupid, unappetising ration bar.

 

_ She has something I never did. She just naturally cares about people.  _

 

Idate crumpled up the chip wrapper and shoved it into his pocket. Naru shook the crumbs out of her hair again, grunting as she reached another flight of steps. She hadn’t even asked him if he felt like he could walk yet. She fully intended to carry him all the way up the stairs and to the crystal. It wasn’t even a question.

 

Maybe she felt responsible for the possible concussion he had, or maybe she just wanted to get it all over with, and maybe it was both, but he felt like she was just doing it because she should.

 

He thought about what she’d said on the boat. Asking why Jirocho didn’t just have the Wagarashi’s annihilated. It was true, really, that they should be stopped. That the race shouldn’t even really exist. The Wagarashi’s were cruel. 

 

But he knew, Jirocho knew, and Naru likely knew too, that killing an entire family was wrong. That you couldn’t just waltz in and murder your enemies just because. You had to fight them. And take the high road when you could. 

 

And then Idate felt bad. Because he hadn’t been acting like someone who knew these things. He’d acted like a jerk. He acted like someone who cheated and lied and took whatever he could whenever he could.

 

“Almost there,” Naru gritted out, pulling his legs further up her sides and picking up her pace. 

 

Idate noticed the other crystal was gone. The other runner had been there already, unbothered by assassins.  _ What’s the point in playing fair if the other guys changed the game? _

 

Naru set him down at the top, holding out a hand to steady him. Her blue eyes locked with his, and she bit her top lip quickly before she spoke, “You good?”

 

“I’m good,” He said, walking out of her loose grip and grabbed the little sphere. He pocketed it and looked back at her. “Lets go,”

 

They both took off running, and Idate was surprised. Sure, he wasn’t sprinting at full speed, but even so, she was matching him, even after she had carried him up those stairs. She should have been completely exhausted.

 

“Are you using chakra right now?” he asked, looking over at her face. She was sweating, and she wiped her forehead with the hem of her shirt.

 

“Yeah, a little,” She admitted, shrugging. He hummed.

 

“Are you running low?” He caught her eye, and she laughed.

 

“No. Not even close,” She smiled at him, and his eyes landed on her sharp canines, “Don’t worry about my chakra, Squirrel boy, worry about yourself,”

 

“You know, I took the chunin exams,” he said, the words spilling out of him without him really meaning to say them. Naru blinked, but didn’t really show any other signs of surprise. 

 

After a moment, she seemed to realise he was expecting a response. “Yeah?” she said, simply.  _ Maybe she is feeling tired and just won't let on. _

 

“Yeah. Ibiki failed me after the written portion, damn, I was mad. But then Aoi, uh, the guy who poisoned Sakura-san? He told me I could pass if I stole this.. Lightning sword or whatever. I did, but it turns out that he was just using me. He was a traitor, and he made me into one too,” He bit his tongue, regretting what he was saying. Naru blinked at him again, but ventured a response this time.

 

“Yeah. That’s pretty close to what happened to me when I graduated from the academy. I’m lucky I had Iruka-sensei. Otherwise I probably would have wound up like you,”

 

_ Had she meant to be so insulting? _

 

“You figured it out though in the end, didn’t you? You wound up here with boss man,” she shrugged, “Doubt it woulda worked out so great for me, I mean. I probably woulda done a lot worse than you, come to think of it. Probably wound up gettin kidnapped and murdered,” She grinned at him, suddenly. He was taken aback, “Eh, things seem to work out how they should in the end. You just gotta keep going through the tough stuff, ya know?”

 

“Yeah. Guess so. Did you see Ibiki’s funeral?”

 

“Funeral? He’s still kicking. He was the proctor for the written portion that I took,” She shrugged, “weird guy,”

 

Idate’s heart swelled. He hadn’t been responsible for his brother’s death. Ibiki was okay, and suddenly, Aoi seemed a lot less threatening. He wasn’t his older brother’s killer. Just some asshole in a goofy outfit. Idate nodded. 

 

They ran for a while longer, and eventually they came up on a bridge. Sakura and Sasuke were already there, face to face with Aoi. Sakura was twirling a knife with her left hand, grinning and tilting her head. She looked a little deranged.

 

“Ah, look, reinforcements,” Sakura laughed, looking at Naru as they ran up. Sasuke seemed disconcerted by the girl next to him. 

 

“Ah, more little weaklings, and Idate, little buddy,” Aoi laughed, drawing the Sword of the Thunder God, smiling at the four of them. Naru shifted in front of Idate, shielding him. The man was trying to hide it, but he was moving like his chest hurt. _Maybe cracked ribs? Sakura did a number on him earlier._

 

“If the opportunity comes up, make a break for it,” she hissed over her shoulder. She turned to Aoi. “Nice threads, man, where’d you get the idea? Did you see a dolphin one time and think ‘Hey, I want to look like that,’ Or what? Let’s get the backstory here,”

 

Sakura laughed, looking over at Naru, “Four man team?” she said. Naru nodded at her.

 

“All by ourselves,” Naru said, grinning. In a flash Naru was next to her, and then she gave Sakura a leg up, launching the taller girl into the air, where she started whipping knives at Aoi. He flipped back, dodging the blades. Sasuke started forward, conjuring up what looked like lightning in the palm of his hand. Naru summoned up a few clones, one of whom leapt up and pulled Sakura back down out of the air, making sure she wasn't a target. Another leapt back to stand guard over Idate. Idate craned, watching Sasuke’s attack meet with the sword, a brief stalemate. But Sasuke couldn’t keep the jutsu going forever, and it stuttered out in his hand. Sasuke landed a hit on Aoi’s elbow, even as the sword electrocuted him, and it caused the blade to clatter to the ground. Aoi whipped out a needle he’d had hidden in his sleeve, ramming it deep into Sasuke’s shoulder. 

 

Suddenly Aoi was holding Sasuke, paralysed on one half of his body, over his head, taunting him about his family name. Then, without any real warning, he whipped him back, off the cliff. Sakura watched him fall, hesitating. Naru, the original Naru, screamed.

 

“No! Fuck! Ibara-chan! Go get him!” She ordered, pointing at Sakura and then the cliff. Sakura looked at her, surprised for a moment, but then she nodded and jumped off the edge after Sasuke. Naru turned to Aoi. “That was a stupid move,” she said. Something was off. 

 

“What? You think you’re gonna do any better than your little Uchiha friend?”

 

“Eh, maybe not better,” Naru said, getting down onto all fours and snarling, her voice changing, the air around her shifting unnaturally, “Maybe much, much worse,” 

 

Idate swallowed as Aoi laughed and reached behind him, slashing the ropes to the bridge. It didn’t fall, but it was obviously close, they were hanging by threads. Naru’s clones disappeared and she shot toward Aoi, so fast even Idate wasn’t sure if he’d be able to match her.  _ Inhumanly fast…. _ And she slammed into Aoi’s already injured chest. There was a sickening crunch, and Aoi spat blood as he jammed the sword into Naru’s side. She let out a sound that was not  _ her _ voice, but brought a punch hard upward, into Aoi’s chin. His head snapped back, another cracking noise echoing through the clearing. Idate knew on instinct that it had been his neck. The way the man crumpled, the angle of his head. The look on his face.

 

Aoi, the titan of his childhood, lay dead at the feet of this… genin. She pulled the sword from her side like a thorn, and looked down at it. 

 

“This that sword you were talking about? It’s fucked. Totally useless. Sasuke-kun cracked it with his Chidori. Look,” she said, waving it. Idate let out a creaking groan, shock making his vocal chord threaten to shatter. Naru looked up at him. “Is this that sword you stole?”

 

“Yeah…” He breathed, mouth dry. Naru nodded, and shoved the handle into her pocket. She looked at the broken bridge, ropes slashed and unravelling fast. Definitely not safe. 

 

“Get on the bridge, run as fast as you can, and win this stupid race,” She said, seizing the ropes and yanking them tight again. He stared at her.

 

“You weigh about a hundred pounds. You can’t hold that bridge up with me on it,”

 

“You _ just _ saw me punch that guy so hard he  _ died _ . I can hold a rope. Go!” She snapped. He looked down at Aoi’s body and nodded. He ducked under her arms and stood on the bridge. She nodded, and he turned away.

 

Then he ran. He ran as fast as he could across the bridge. And he didn’t stop. He didn’t look back. He just sprinted forward, glad that he knew no one stood in the way anymore, but wondering what, exactly, Naru was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: My Medicine, The Pretty Reckless
> 
> Idate: Nothing Personal, Night Riots
> 
> Ibara: Mz. Hyde, Halestorm
> 
> Sasuke: Becoming The Bull, Atreyu
> 
> (sorry this took so damn long. damn rich people got glitter in the jet)


	77. Naru, And The Longass Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The chapter is long

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im sorry

Ibara had insisted on carrying Sasuke. Naru felt a strange twinge of annoyance at the way she winked at her as she picked him up. They climbed up the cliff and ran to the finish line. When they arrived, Idate had won. It was good to know, but Sasuke needed the hospital in Konoha badly. Between the electrical attack and the poison in his system, he was in terrible shape.

 

_ And Ibara is  _ not _ holding him the right way. She’s just letting his head hang there! He’ll strain his neck. _

 

She was glad to see Ibiki pull up on the boat that would take them home. She was about to board it when a hand shot out to stop her. It was Idate. She paused.

 

“Sup, Squirrel boy?” She asked, a little annoyed he was holding them up. He scanned her features, his eyes lingering on the dark scars on her cheeks.

 

“What are you?” he asked, brows furrowed, voice hushed. She rolled her eyes.

 

“A ninja, stupid. Thought we’d already gone over this,” she clambered up the side of the boat and waved, one hand on the bow, “Catch ya on the flip. I’ll get Tsunade Baa-chan to negate your traitor status, so feel free to visit or whatever, I guess,” She flipped onto the deck next to Ibiki. She saw the man share a look with the boy on the ground, then turn his back.

 

“Onii-san!” Idate called, waving. Ibiki looked coldly over his shoulder. 

 

“The only person who ever called me that is dead,” He said, glaring at the boy. Naru winced. She leaned over the edge and waved again at Idate. 

 

“See ya squirrel boy!”

 

“Bye Naru-san, you mutant weirdo!” Idate called, laughing. Naru laughed back as she leaned over the bow of the ship. She kept waving until they were out of sight, then she turned back to Ibara and Sasuke, who was unconscious but stable. She strode over and sat on the deck next to the girl, chewing the inside of her cheek.

 

“Hey,”

 

“Hey,” Ibara said, stretching her legs out in front of her and twiddling her thumbs. Naru inhaled.

 

“Uh, I’m not… I’m not like, upset, or anything, that you’re here, but uh…”

 

“You want Sakura back…” Ibara said, nodding. Naru sighed.

 

“I guess? I mean… I’m not saying it’s not super awesome to hang out with you, and we should totally get ramen some time or whatever, but… I need to talk to Sakura-chan… Do… do you mind?”

 

Ibara looked angry, and gripped her hands into fists for a second, but then her conviction left her, her shoulders slumped, and she nodded. “I get it... here,” She closed her eyes, and then they snapped wide open again. Sakura winced. 

 

“God, damn it! What the hell! Ibara!” her knees shot up, and she felt her face.

 

“Hey Sakura-chan,”

 

“Naru-chan! Shit… Fuck!” Sakura ran her shaking hands through her hair and stared around. 

 

“You okay?” 

 

“Yeah… I’m just not used to being under for so long. Shit… That’s not… ugh…”

 

“Sakura-chan, do you need a second?” Naru asked, worried. Sakura looked back at her, her face softening slightly.

 

“No… No it’s fine. I’m fine. I think I heard you say you wanted to talk to me?”

 

“Yeah, about… about Sasuke-kun,”

 

Sakura stiffened again slightly. She looked over at Sasuke, who was shifting slightly in his uneasy sleep. “Yeah, what about him?”

 

Naru frowned. “Have you noticed how different he’s been acting… since the chunin exams? Like, he hasn’t been normal in months. I’m worried about him,”

 

Sakura looked away from him, out over the ship and toward the sea. “Yeah, I noticed. But aren’t we all different since then?”

 

Naru bit her top lip, thinking about how crazy her life had gotten over the past few months. How irritated she’d been recently. How Kurama had been trying to talk her into breaking the seal on a regular basis now. Lee, recovering slowly.  _ Didn’t he say Neji wanted to speak to me? _

 

“Yeah, I guess we are,” She shrugged. She thought of Shikamaru, and Kiba, back home, probably arguing. And Choji, laughing good naturedly at how stupid they were being. She missed them. For some reason, the thought hurt. 

 

Naru looked out over the sea, like Sakura.

 

“We have a long way to go, don’t we?” She said. Sakura nudged her.

 

“Yeah. Wanna talk about something else?”

 

“Only if you come up with the subject,” Naru said. Sakura hummed.

 

“Ino-san looks like a samurai with her new haircut,” Sakura said, grinning. Naru laughed.

 

“God, she kinda does, doesn’t she? She really should have gone shorter or something. Is she gonna grow it back out?”

 

“Oh, absolutely, are you kidding?”

 

They passed the time like that, chatting about easy nothings, cracking jokes and occasionally checking on Sasuke. Occasionally Ibiki came and checked on him too, and eventually he strode up, looking serious. 

 

“We have about fifteen minutes before we get there. I am going to take Sasuke-san directly to the hospital. Don’t follow, you’ll only get in the way,”

 

“Ibiki-sensei, can’t we please come? I’d like to stay with him,” Naru asked, trying her best to be polite. Ibiki scowled.

 

“No, and don’t argue,”

 

“Yes sir,” She said. Sakura leaned into her.

 

“He’ll be fine, Naru-chan, Hokage-sama is the best healer there is,”

 

Naru looked down at him and nodded. Ibiki paused, like he was going to say something else, but seemed to think better of it, and left them. As they pulled in to port he picked Sasuke up and leapt easily off the boat, landing in a full sprint. 

 

“Guess he and Squirrel boy really are brothers,” Naru mused, climbing down the side of the boat. Sakura took the ramp and met her at the bottom. They stood side by side, and Naru opened her mouth to invite Sakura out to ramen, but before she could she was knocked to the ground by something small striking hard between her shoulders. 

 

She twisted, ready for a fight, but only saw Akamaru, standing on her chest and trying to lick her face.

 

“Hey, Akamaru-chan! What’s good?” she laughed, picking him up and looking around. He only barked. “Where’s Kiba-chan?”

 

“What, you think he’s gonna say something?” Sakura asked, walking up and petting him gingerly. Naru shrugged.

 

“He could point or something, couldn’t he?” She said. Kiba still hadn’t appeared, and she was starting to worry, until she saw him sprint around the nearest building and toward the dock. Naru grinned at him, setting Akamaru on the ground and putting her hands on her hips. “Kiba-chan!” She laughed, her eyes closing from how hard she was smiling.

 

“Naru-chan!” Kiba barked, skidding to a halt and teetering in front of her. She had to hold out her hands and steady him in order to stop him from falling on her. She looked up at him.

 

“I just got off the damn boat, how’d you already make it here? Don’t you have anything better to do?” She teased, flicking his nose. He rubbed the spot, looking defensive.

 

“Better than being the first one to see you? Nah… but I was wondering-”

 

“Hey! How about the three of us go to Ichiraku? I was just about to ask Sakura-chan!” She turned to Sakura, who was trying hard not to smile. 

 

“I’m not that hungry,” She said. Naru rolled her eyes.

 

“I know when the last time you ate was, you’re starving. We’re going, for real,” Naru grabbed her hand and dragged her forward. Kiba was bright red.

 

“Yeah, okay, let’s… let’s  _ all _ go,” He said. Naru set off down the street confidently. She could find her way to Ichiraku from anywhere in Konoha. Eventually, she dropped Sakura’s hand, and smiled over at Kiba.

 

“Hey, what’ve you been up to while I was gone?”

 

Kiba shrugged, “Shino-chan, Hinata-chan and I went on a really quick escort mission. It was just one day, we were back before nightfall, and Akamaru and I have been training with Hinata-chan. Kurenai-sensei has even been stopping in when she can, but you know how busy all the jonin have been,”

 

“Yeah, I don’t even know what Kakashi-sensei looks like anymore,” Naru said, Kiba snickered.

 

“You didn’t in the first place. He wears a mask all the time,” 

 

“Fair point,” She said, looking up at him and grinning. He leaned closer. 

 

“Uh, I was thinking…”

 

“Hey Sakura-chan, what do you think Kakashi-sensei looks like?” Naru asked, whipping around to smile at Sakura, who was wincing a little.

 

“I don’t know, probably good though from how everyone acts around him,”

 

“You think so? Gross,” She said, wrinkling her nose, “I always figured he was goofy looking under that mask, why else would he wear it all the time?”

 

“Maybe he’s just insecure,” Kiba said, straightening up. They ducked under the hangings around the ramen hut and each took their seats. Naru placed an identical order for Sakura and herself, but let Kiba order his own food. She wasn’t sure what he liked.

 

“I betcha he sleeps with it on,” Sakura mused, “Like, we know he does on missions, but I bet you he always does,”

 

“Kinky,” Naru snickered, thanking the cook as he handed them all their bowls. Sakura jabbed her hard with a chopstick, and Kiba snorted, covering his face and looking away. Naru grinned.

 

“You’re so nasty,” Sakura groaned. Naru just shimmied as she slurped her noodles. Kiba leaned over his bowl, still a little red, and started eating too. The pair of them were bracing for a lecture from Sakura when Naru felt a strange, slinking feeling across her shoulders. She shot upright and looked around.

 

_ Who is that? _

 

She almost got up from her seat. Kiba looked around too.

 

“What is it?” He asked, holding out a hand like he was going to touch her shoulder, but stopped short. She frowned.

 

“I don’t know who that is… Who _is_ that?”

 

Kiba stiffened too, and turned completely around in his chair, sniffing. Sakura stared at the two of them, taken aback by the sudden change of mood.

 

“What are you guys-”

 

“Shikamaru-kun, are you spying?” Naru asked, standing up and parting the curtains, looking around. She heard a thud and a loud laugh that could only be Choji’s. She relaxed and smiled again. “You guys suck at stealth! Come join us!” 

 

Shikamaru slunk out of the trees, Choji following him, trying to muffle his laughter behind his hand. Naru put her hand on her hip. “How’d you know it was me?” Shikamaru asked, crossing his arms and squinting. Naru just shook her head and walked forward, pulling Choji into a hug.

 

“I always know,” She said, turning to Shikamaru and poking him in the chest, “And you totally suck for not coming out and saying Hi!”

 

“He didn’t want to interrupt your date with Kiba-san,” Choji laughed, crossing his arms. Naru’s eyes widened.

 

“Oh! We aren’t on a date! Sakura-chan is with us! Come on and join! The more the better, or whatever that saying is!” She beckoned them in. Shikamaru’s eyebrows twitched slightly and he almost smiled.

 

“Oh, I mean, I guess… Choji, you hungry?” he said, posing it like an actual question. Choji shot him a look, and they both ducked into the ramen shop. It was really full now, and Kiba scooted down, switching spots with Naru so she could sit in the middle. Choji odered a few bowls of Miso ramen with beef, and Shikamaru ordered one too, shooting a look at Kiba that Naru couldn’t really read. Kiba bared his teeth at him, flushing slightly, but they didn’t say anything to each other as they settled in. Naru grinned. 

 

“Ah! I’m so glad we’re all hanging out again! I thought about you guys while we were gone! We met this squirrely kid named Idate in a tea shop, and he was hitting on Sakura-chan, but then he dashed and left me with the bill for his food,”

 

“He did what?” Kiba said, staring at her. She shook her head.

 

“He dined and dashed. Anyway, he turned out to be who we were escorting of our mission, so I dragged him into my room-”

 

“You did  _ what _ ?” Shikamaru spluttered, but Naru just ignored him.

 

“And I shook him down for my money, and-”

 

“Naru-chan you shook him down?” Sakura gasped, looking half amused, half angry. Naru grinned at her.

 

“Then we had to fight these guys from the exams, and then we had to fight this guy who was a traitor to Konoha,  _ then  _ we had to fight him again, which is why Sasuke-kun is in the hospital, then I killed him,”

 

“Why is your life like this?” Choji asked around a mouthful of food, “Every time you tell us about your day you just say some crazy shit. Why is it always you?”

 

“And now we’re home,” Naru slurped up more noodles, “But I thought of you guys on the way back, like, I missed hanging out. This is the only normal thing I feel like I have left,”

 

They all went quiet, and then Choji swallowed loudly. “That whole story was just so you could say you only thought of us on the way home?” He snorted, grinning. Naru looked at him, mouth twitching.

 

“Yeah,” She laughed, “There’s probably a more efficient way to do that huh?”

 

“‘I missed you guys’ woulda worked,” he shrugged, “But who am I to judge?”

 

“I’m one to judge!” Shikamaru snapped, going red in the face, “You took on a guy who Sasuke got taken out by with only one person as backup?”

 

“Actually, Sakura-chan had gone off to help Sasuke-kun. It was just me,” She said, slurping more noodles and looking up at Shikamaru. He groaned and covered his eyes.

 

“Naru… I told you to stay safe. Thats… The fucking… Opposite…”

 

“Naru! That’s totally badass! How’d you kill him?” Kiba asked, picking Akamaru up and plopping him down on his head. 

 

Naru turned to him and smiled. “I punched him,” She lifted more noodles to her mouth, and everyone froze. “What?”

 

“You punched him... to death? Like… one time?” Shikamaru asked. She looked over at him, brow furrowed.

 

“Yeah, I landed one on the chin and his neck broke,” She shrugged. “It was a lucky hit,”

 

“Nothing you do is lucky,” Sakura snapped. All four genin looked over at her. She was twirling noodles around her chopsticks, looking down at the bowl, “Honestly, i’m starting to get the feeling that’s why Sasuke-kun is so grumpy all the time now. You’re really strong now, Naru-chan,”

 

“Uhhh. Thanks, I think?” Naru said, setting her chopsticks down and rubbing the back of her neck. Sakura’s green eyes flashed over to her, but before Sakura had a chance to reply, Kiba straightened up.

 

“He’s a loser and an idiot if he’s not glad you’re on his team,” he said, crossing his arms. Shikamaru sighed. 

 

“That’s not the problem they’re having, dog breath. They’re worried about him,”

 

Naru looked over at him. He was looking bored, his chin resting in his hand and his eyes on his bowl, which he was stirring lazily. “How would you know?” she asked, tilting her head. He glanced up at her, then slouched back, addressing his bowl.

 

“Cause I know how I’d feel if one of my teammates, or you, started acting like he does. I’d be stressed to hell and back,” He looked at her again, out of the corner of his eye. Kiba shifted behind her, but she just squinted at Shikamaru.

 

“I’m not  _ worried _ ,” she said, pulling out her wallet and paying for all of their food, emptying it almost half way, “I’m pissed off that he’s acting like a baby. I don’t care what’s causing his moody, shitty behaviour. I just want him to stop and go back to normal,” She looked at her four friends, and felt a strange emotion she couldn’t quite name. Like anger and frustration and sadness all in one. “I’m tired. All hit me at once. Talk to you guys later,” She waved and left. She stomped toward home, kicking rocks into the gutter and ripping her headband off. She held it out in front of herself, looking at it and frowning. She loved her village. Adored Konoha. 

 

_ So why does it suddenly feel like a prison? _

 

She was almost to her apartment when she heard someone call her name. She turned, and Shikamaru was walking toward her, hands in his pockets, looking at his feet. 

 

“Hey,” She said, pausing for him to catch up, but too restless to wait that long. He was within arms reach when she started walking again. He skipped to match her step, and she could feel his eyes boring holes in the side of her face. 

 

“Hey,”

 

Naru didn’t say anything. Her apartment building was within sight. She fished out her keys.

 

“Hey?” Shikamaru said, brushing her arm with his elbow. She looked up at him. He was his usual, stoic self. 

 

“Hi,” she took a deep breath. “Sup?”

 

“Nothing. Do you… do you maybe wanna talk about… Stuff or whatever?”

 

“No…” She brought the hand holding her headband up to her hair and scratched her scalp roughly. Shikamaru nodded, and turned. She put her hand on the door to her apartment building, hesitating, watching him walk away. “Hey?”

 

He turned, pausing, the sunset making his shadow stretch to godlike proportions. “Hi,”

 

She paused again, then pointed up at the window of her place, two floors up from where they stood. “Wanna come up and… I don’t know… hangout for a minute?”

 

“Yeah, I guess,” He said, shrugging. He followed her into her building and to her apartment. She kicked a trash bag out of the way as she stepped through the door, and lead him into her apartment. She filled up a glass and poured it into her plants. Shikamaru stood awkwardly in the center of the tiny place. “Is it always like this?” He asked. She blinked.

 

“Is this weird?”

 

“No, no, not weird. Just… I never thought about the fact you live alone… Is it lonely?”

 

Naru frowned and looked around. She shrugged. “I’m used to it,” she put the glass in the sink and washed it, even though it wasn’t really dirty. She put it away and went to the middle of the floor. She sat there, and patted the ground in front of her. Shikamaru dropped down, then flopped backward, laying down on her floor. She tilted her head, measuring his features. He examined her cracked ceiling. 

 

“That’s kinda just a way to say ‘yeah, but don’t worry about it’, right?”

 

“Yeah,”

 

“You know I’m gonna worry about it now, right?”

 

“Kinda, yeah,”

 

“Do I bother you?”

 

“... No, not at all. It’s…” she rooted in her brain for the words she wanted, “I guess it’s nice,”

 

Shikamaru sat up, suddenly face to face with her, looking straight into her eyes. “Good,” he said. He patted the ground next to him. She scooted over, and they laid side by side, looking at her ceiling. “Are you in love with Sasuke?” He asked. She rolled her head to face him, tracing his profile. She couldn’t think of anything to say. She didn’t know the answer. She’d never even considered that her feelings for Sasuke  _ could _ be romantic. She’d always just thought of him as her rival, her best friend. She definitely loved him.  _ But am I in love with him? _

 

“I don’t know. I don’t really know what that kinda love looks like. Or what it feels like,” She looked back at the ceiling. “I’ve never even seen it,”

 

_ The closest thing to it I ever saw was Haku and Zabuza, but if that’s love, I don’t want it… _

 

“I don’t really know either,” He said, his eyes tracing the peeling paint across the left side of her apartment, and a stain from water damage that had happened a long time ago, “All I know for sure is what my parents have, well, I’m not sure I want that,”

 

“Maybe falling in love and getting married is all just a trick. Maybe it’s just something they tell us we should do so we all keep having kids. Maybe the only thing that’s real is friendships,” Naru looked at Shikamaru again. “What do you think?”

 

“I think you’re not as dumb as you let people think you are,” Shikamaru said. Naru sighed.

 

“Don’t get your hopes up. There’s still no real proof I have a brain,”

 

“I think you just have a different brain. But you know stuff. You get stuff other people don’t get,” He shrugged, his vest sliding off his shoulders a little. Naru squinted at him.

 

“Are you being nice?”

 

“Me? No. Never,” He said. She laughed and let her eyes fall closed. She could hear him shift a little, and feel him draw a little closer.

 

She didn’t visit Kurama that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: No Roots, Alice Merton (again, cause fuck you)
> 
> Ibara: I'm Not Calling You A Liar, Florence And The Machine
> 
> Sakura: No Choir, Florence And The Machine (honestly a #mood for most of this chapter)
> 
> Sasuke: Mind Eraser, The Black Keys
> 
> Kiba: First Date, Blink 182 (poor Kiba)
> 
> Choji: Here It Goes Again, Ok Go
> 
> Shikamaru: Here Comes The Anxiety, The Wombats


	78. Sasuke, and The Would Be Dick Measuring Contest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke is insecure, 
> 
> He knows what for...
> 
> He can't wait till she walks through the do-o-or

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm, yet again, sorry bout it

As soon as Sasuke woke up, he started counting. Ten minutes and he started to feel confused. Twenty and he became panicked. Had he been wrong to think she’d beaten the green haired guy? Where was she?

 

When the door finally creaked open, he felt relieved. Until he saw pink hair, instead of yellow, and Sakura holding flowers instead of Naru being chased down by nurses yelling at her to sign in. 

 

The disappointment and panic must have shown on his face, because Sakura sighed heavily as she set the flowers on the side table.

 

“She’s fine. Don’t worry. She’s just not up yet,”

 

“She’s always up,” Sasuke snapped, settling against his pillows and frowning. Sakura smiled a little.

 

“She had a hard mission. She did more than either of us,” Sakura began fluffing his pillow, but he waved her away and she took the chair by his bedside. 

 

“Yeah, whatever,” He grunted. It was annoying. He wasn’t used to being a second priority to her, even after things she _required_. She always used to put him before  _ everything _ . Before rest, before food. He felt anger rise in his chest. A different beast born within him. Not jealousy. Something else entirely.

 

Sakura tried to talk to him for another twenty minutes before Naru burst into the room, dishevelled, her headband around her neck, her hair wet and her shirt on backward. She smiled at him.

 

“Hey! You’re up!” She said, walking over to the bed. The angry monster in his chest roared.

 

“Yeah, finally got around to seeing if I was okay, huh?”

 

“I was under orders to leave you alone,”

 

“Oh, because you really listen to orders,” He snarled. She crossed her arms and looked at Sakura.

 

“Has he been like this all day?”

 

“No. Mostly quiet till now,”

 

“I’m right here! Shit! Both of you are intolerable,” Naru’s gaze snapped back on to him.  _ Good. Keep them here.  _ “You were both shit on that mission, by the way. Sakura-san went insane and you kept acting up,” He leaned forward, off his pillows, so he could get a good look at Naru’s eyes as they narrowed. “Punching the goddamn escort in the face, what was that? You’re a mess. You can’t control yourself! And you!” He turned to Sakura, but Naru stomped forward, grabbing his collar, yanking him toward herself.

 

“Hey! This is between us,” 

 

“You’re right, it is, you freak,” He growled, the monster in his chest purring. Something in Naru’s eyes flickered, and she yanked him out of bed and to his feet. Sakura started to protest, but she was already pinning him against a wall, snarling in his face.

 

“So, you got a problem then?” she said, edging up, their bodies practically touching. His brain was about to short circuit.

 

“Damn right I’ve got a problem,” He laughed, “You’re my damn problem,”

 

Her fists tightened in his shirt, and she looked like she wanted to spit in his face, but the she made a little tch noise and let go. He blinked.  _ No! No. Come back here! _

 

“Fight me!” He growled, grabbing her and slamming her back into the wall, one hand on her shoulder and the other planted on the drywall by her head. He leaned down, looking at her eye to eye. She broke eye contact, her face flushing slightly, looking down and to the side.

 

“You just woke up, you’re in the hospital. Don’t be stupid, I’m not gonna fight you. Let me go,” 

 

“I want. To fight you. So, I’m going to,” He snarled, grabbing her face and turning it toward himself. “Don’t be a scared little girl about it,”

 

“I’m not scared!” She snapped, slapping his hand away and glaring up at him. He sneered. There were little red marks on her face where his fingertips had pressed in. “I just don’t want to hurt you right out of your damn hospital bed,” 

 

Sakura was standing, saying something, but it was white noise. Sasuke was just moving his eyes along those angry red marks on Naru’s face.

 

“I’m gonna fight you right now, if you like it or not,” he hissed. He grabbed her arms in one hand in a crushing grip. She started complaining but he didn’t listen. She was swearing while he dragged her down the hospital hallways, up the stairs. She stumbled once, but he didn’t pause, he just kept going. They reached the roof, and he threw her out onto it. She landed ungracefully, on all fours, skidding to a halt and looking like a feral animal of some kind.

 

“Teme! Stop! I’m not gonna fight you!”

 

“Yeah, you are. You want to. I can see it on your face. You want to hit me, don’t you?”

 

“Of course I wanna hit you! You’re an asshole! But you’re not even wearing your headband!”

 

“I don’t need it, you aren’t going to be able to touch my forehead,” He laughed. She finally stood.  _ Wasn’t it strange that she stayed that way for so long? _

 

“That’s not the point,” She said, her face hardening, “you know that’s not the point,”

 

“Come on,” He said, walking toward her, “Let’s do this,” He swung his fist at her face, but she ducked, and grabbed one of his legs, yanking. He sprawled on the gravelly roof, and she was over him, pinning him down.

 

“Stop! Please Stop! I don’t want to hurt you!” She shouted, her face angry and inches from his. He frowned. 

 

“Don’t worry,” He snarled, “You won’t!” he scooted up, brought his leg forward and kicked her hard in the stomach, sending her back. She grunted, but landed on her feet. She stood, looking wide open. He knew better. She’d been the one who told him not to do it himself, after all.

 

He rushed forward, but she stooped down and gabbed his waist, crashing with him through clothesline after clothesline, throwing him to the ground, then grabbing his ankle, whipping him into the air. He turned, facing her on the ground. She was getting ready. He knew what the endgame was. He held out his hand, “Chidori!”

 

She frowned. She brought her hands together, and unscrewed them. She said the name of the attack quickly condensing in her palms, and he committed it to memory. “Rasengan!” She shouted, and ran toward him as he fell toward her. 

 

They were feet from each other when he felt someone grab him and whip him into one of the hospital water towers. He heard the telltale clash of Naru slamming into the other. When he looked up, Kakashi was crouched in front of him. What little of his face was visible, did  _ not _ look happy. He pulled his arm out of the tank. It was twisted and warped, and when his arm came free the water gushed out. He looked over at Naru, who was kneeling next to the white haired behemoth of a man who was her trainer. Jiraiya. One of the Sanin. He had his arms crossed and was already chewing her out. She yanked her arms free of the two, neat little holes she’d made. He smirked. 

 

_ That was all she had? _

 

“You fucking dumbass! Do you think I taught you that shit so you could use it on your boyfriends in arguments? No! I swear to every god there _is_ and _isn’t_ , If I ever-” Jiraiya was crouching now, pointing in Naru’s face. She didn’t even look upset. Almost glad. 

 

Kakashi started to say something along the same vein, though, much less explicit, but Sasuke shot him a dirty look and leapt off the roof. He glanced up at the back of the water towers as he did, and his heart dropped heavily into his stomach. 

 

His water tower was slightly bowed, warped and bent from the force of his Chidori. But Naru’s?

 

The back half was just… gone. The evidence of water having sprayed out across two buildings glistened in the sun, and people were pointing up at it from the street. 

 

The angry monster in his chest settled into the place where his heart had previously occupied, making its home there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke: Bleeding Mascara, Atreyu (btw it starts off with a death scream so... heads up i guess)
> 
> (A wraith with an angel's body.  
> A demon with a smile of gold.  
> You soul-sucker.  
> I won't become like you.
> 
> A killer with the perfect weapons,  
> Crystal eyes and a heart of coal.  
> You soul-sucker.  
> I won't lose myself in you.)
> 
> Sakura: Swan, Willa
> 
> Naru: All Around Me, Flyleaf
> 
> (lets just... revisit my fucking emo ass middleschool days shall we?)
> 
> Kakashi and Jiraiya: Just... sigh. Sigh loudly.


	79. Naru, And Her Worst Enemy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru has to deal with two people she really would rather not right now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm in physical pain

Naru had been locked back in her apartment, grounded under threat of evisceration by Jiraiya.  _ Joke’s on him, I don’t know what that word means. _ She was staring at the ceiling, but for some reason it was just upsetting. The question kept floating forward in her mind.

 

_ Are you in love with Sasuke? _

 

She bit her top lip until her teeth went straight through it. She scowled, getting up and spitting the blood out into the bathroom sink. It splattered, mottled and stringy with saliva, fresh blood dripping from her already healing mouth as she turned the tap on and rinsed most of it away. Naru looked up into the mirror and frowned.

 

“You just couldn’t talk him down, huh? Can’t even comfort your own damn teammate. Useless,” She leaned in closer, glaring at her reflection. “I hate you so much,”

 

Next thing she knew she had put her fist through the mirror, and now it was reflecting a hundred, distorted Naru’s back at her. She looked down at her hand, which was trying to heal around the shards of glass that were buried in it. She pulled some of them out, not careful, and tossed them into the basin, now more bloody than ever.

 

She looked back up at the various copies of her, staring back, apathetic at their pain. Even she couldn’t bring herself to care about her injuries. Sasuke used to, months ago, before he’d suddenly started wanting to inflict them.

 

The only cause she could think of was that stupid mark on his neck. She’d noticed that his sharingan were constantly flicking on and off, without him necessarily meaning to activate them. What did it mean? How could she help?

 

She knew  _ her  _ Sasuke was in there somewhere. She just had to find him. She was going to find him.

 

There was a knock at the door. She swore and quickly rinsed her bloody face and hand as best she could before running over, trying to hoist a smile onto her face before yanking the door open. Shikamaru was leaning on the doorframe. He looked up at her, his eyes landing on her still bleeding lip and he shot up straight, stepping in and grabbing her face, peering down at her.

 

“What happened?”

 

She pulled away from him, frowning up at his disapproving expression. “What are you doing here?” 

 

“I was coming to check on you, you seemed upset last night. What the hell happened to you? Who did this?”

 

“It looks worse than it is,” She said, backing up into her apartment. Shikamaru walked further in and closed the door firmly behind himself.

 

“Well that’s not saying much. What’s happening? Who did this? I swear…”

 

“No one did anything. Gods, calm down!”

 

“What, I’m supposed to believe your face is bleeding just because it’s Tuesday or something?”

 

“I did it, okay? I bit my lip so hard I broke my face. A real _loss_. I don’t even think it’s Tuesday, is it?” She sneered, splitting the scab as she stretched her mouth. Shikamaru froze.

 

“Why’d you do that?”

 

Naru looked away from him, bringing her bloody fist to her mouth and wiping what she could away. Shikamaru stepped forward, his eyes on her hand, mostly healed save for a few shards still protruding from her knuckles. As he did, he came into view of the bathroom, because she hadn’t closed the door.  _ Idiot. _

 

He looked at it. Broken mirror, bloody sink, bloody floor. He looked at Naru, whose face was dripping with water and fresh blood, and whose wounds were closing quickly now. 

 

The silence was murder.

 

But when he spoke, voice low and hoarse and  _ hurt _ like she’d done it all to  _ him-  _ it was so much worse.

 

“Naru… what’s wrong?”

 

“He hates me, Shika-kun. He hates me so much and I don’t know why!” _She_ hated how her voice was cracking, how her hands were shaking.  _ Weak. So weak.  _ “I went to see him in the hospital and he just got mad. So fuckin mad, man! And he wanted to fight me, but I told him no, cause… I mean, I wanted to kick his ass but he was in the  _ hospital _ … I mean… what kinda friend am I? But he wouldn’t listen and I’m such a shitty friend because I did! I did fight him! And I could have really hurt him! Kakashi-sensei and The Sage broke it up before one of us got hurt but… I was so mad! I-“

 

But now it was Shikamaru’s turn to look angry. He looked back at the mirror, then at Naru again. “What do you mean… he didn’t listen? How do you fight someone who doesn’t want to fight you?”

 

Naru clammed up. Her face was almost healed now, even as the tears slipped down over it. She looked up at Shikamaru.  _ That’s not the part I care about, Shika. _ He stepped forward, bristling, and she flinched at his anger.

 

“Oh…. Oh my god…” He said, stepping back, turning away, smoothing both hands against his ponytail and screwing up his face. He let out a grunt and looked back at her. She brought the hem of her shirt up and wiped her wet, bloody face. “He hit you? Before you were ready to hit back? What did he do Naru- I wanna… I need to hear it!” He walked forward again, so much contained fury in his voice, and rested his hands palms up, on her shoulders. 

 

“No, it wasn’t… it wasn’t like that. He wasn’t there wailing on me. Like I’d let _ that _ happen, Shika-kun. No, he just pulled me up to the roof and said… he said he knew I wanted to fight. And he said I shouldn’t worry about hurting him, because I couldn’t,”

 

Shikamaru’s hands twitched, but he just pressed them down into her shoulders a little. He was looking down at her like the whole world was coming to a stop and she couldn’t take it. She backed up, turned away. She couldn’t face whatever it was in his eyes, because it was everything she wanted.

 

Just…  _ not from him. _

 

“So what happened then? He had to do something to make you fight him if you didn’t want to! Stop taking the blame off him!” Shikamaru groaned and smoothed his hand over his ponytail again. Naru picked more glass out of her hand.

 

“He threw me on the roof and then we fought. I didn’t talk him down,”

 

“Naru! It’s not your job to talk him out of beating you!”

 

“He didn’t  _ beat _ me! I’m not some civilian housewife! I could have kicked his ass if it came down to it,”

 

“That doesn’t matter! You’re teammates! You’re supposed to be friends! Why is he always jumping to the opportunity to hit you?”

 

“Everyone should jump at the opportunity to hit me! I fucking deserve it!”

 

And then it was silent. Deafening. She couldn’t see his face. Her eyes were closed. She didn’t want to open them- she couldn’t.

 

But she did. And he was closer, looking down at her, that fucking look back on his face, like the whole damn world was ending.

 

“No, no you don’t,”

 

“You don’t know shit, Shikamaru-kun,” Naru spat, her face healed now. She yanked another piece of glass out of her hand and threw it at his feet like a challenge. “I’m not some delicate…" But there wasn't a word in her brain that felt right to say, "fuck! I’m not fragile. No one is going to break me. I can take a hit,”

 

“But that doesn’t mean you have to,” he said, still calm, stepping over the piece of glass and drawing her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her. “Just because you’re strong doesn’t mean you have to be strong all the time. You don’t have to prove yourself to anyone,”

 

She pulled away from him, which hurt like a kunai to the face, because she just wanted to stay there, in his arms, but it wouldn’t be fair to him. She knew it. She looked at him sharply. “I have to prove myself to me,” She snapped. 

 

Shikamaru sighed. He let his arms fall to his sides. “What a drag, you’re a real pain, you know that?” He backed up, he gave her space, he looked away, “wanna go get ramen? You know, take your mind off or... or whatever?"

 

“The answer is always yes, but sadly I’m grounded,”

 

“You don’t have parents! Who the fuck is grounding you?”

 

“The dirty old man did it. I’m stuck here or else I’ll get ' _Eviskalarated_ ',” she said, slinging air quotes like senbon at Shikamaru. 

 

“I don’t think he actually said that,” he said, bringing his hands up to his temples. Naru shrugged.

 

“Okay, it was something that sounded like that, anyway, I can’t go out,” 

 

Shikamaru paused. “Well, I can go get Choji and takeout, and we can all hang out in here… if you want,”

 

Naru paused, then she let herself smile. “Yeah, that would… that would be good,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Suicide Hotline, The Prettiots
> 
> Shikamaru: Face Down, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus


	80. Sasuke, And The Final Hour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke make a hard decision and gets punched by a girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !!! bitchboy!!!

Sasuke was sitting in the tree, looking at the four freak show rejects in front of him. One of his eyebrows raised, because, how perfect was this? The promise of power, quickly, at merely the price of joining the man who’d murdered the third hokage?

 

_If someone tells you otherwise, they’re selling something._

 

But what was Orochimaru selling? Sasuke could tell these idiots weren’t telling him the whole story. There was a lie laying in there somewhere. He just couldn’t find it.

 

“There’s another, very small problem,” The one with two heads said, tilting one of them, “Your curse mark is incomplete, so we _are_ working on… something of a shortened schedule. We’re going to need to take you back in time for him to complete the mark and… bestow the great power _he_ has on to _you_ ,”

 

_There it was. He’s stumbling over something he’s not sharing. The price of it all._

 

“Why would that require tight scheduling? Why would my arrival there as a soldier or intern... of sorts, or whatever, be time sensitive?”

 

“Listen, kid,” The woman snapped, “Just meet us outside the village before sunrise,”

 

Then they left. And Sasuke was stuck alone with a proposition he wasn’t sure he _could_ turn down. The only thing he could really think of that would keep him there was Naru. But could he really sacrifice his vow to murder his brother for this new attachment he had formed?

 

And then in his mind's eye he saw Itachi, in the moonlight, standing across from him, surrounded by the bodies of the slaughtered Uchiha clan. ‘ _Take the life of your best friend. You must kill him,”_

 

But his best friend wasn’t a him at all. It was her, and how on earth could he kill her when she looked at him the way she did? His whole world came down to this: Her, and Him.

 

And in a competition between the two, his promises were first come first served. And Itachi came first. And last… if it came down to that. Hopefully not. Hopefully he’d be able to come back and… protect her. Keep her safe.

 

He saw himself, next to her on a grassy hilltop in ten years, holding hands and laughing.

 

 _Don’t be ridiculous, Sasuke._ he thought to himself, _You can never be happy. Don’t be a child._

 

He made his decision, and drew his knees up to his chest. In a tree, like a civilian kid playing a game, he became a traitor.

 

He went back to the compound, he packed his bags and set off. He trailed his hands along the walls of his childhood home as he left, thinking about his family, before it happened. His fingers running over paper and wood, one match and it would go up in flames. All of it.

 

In a way, it already had. And he was the last glowing ember, dying there in the wreckage.

 

He left the compound like he always did, not bothering to catch one last glimpse. He couldn’t hesitate, and this was not the hard part. The empty family homes were not what he was struggling to leave.

 

It was her.

 

He strode out, it was really late now, dark. He walked past all the happy little homes, untainted by murder and unaware that a traitor walked amongst them. He almost made it too.

 

But then Sakura stepped out into the road in front of him, her eyes fixed on his face like she wanted to burn holes in his head.

 

“What do you think you’re doing?”

 

Sasuke paused. How could he explain himself? _I don’t have to._

 

“Stay out of it Sakura-san,” He said, gesturing for her to get out of the way. She wasn’t Naru, she wasn’t tough like her. She was delicate. He didn’t want to hit her.

 

“Honestly, fuck you with that ‘stay out of it’ bull. I’m here, and you need to stop. Whatever it is you’re doing, you should be ashamed of yourself,” She stepped forward, brows furrowed, “You need to be ashamed of yourself for earlier today. You should be at home rethinking your life,”

 

 _What does she know? Does she think this is easy?_ He strode forward, moving to brush past her, but she held out her arm to stop him. Her head was down, her hair hanging forward, hiding her face.

 

“Stop now, or I’ll let her handle this. She’s raring to go all day,” Sakura hissed. It was a threat. Sasuke looked at her, confused. He grabbed her arm and pushed it away.

 

“Let who handle it?” He asked, frowning at her. Her head snapped up, a grin on her face and a look in her eyes he hadn’t seen before.

 

“Me, bitchboy,” She laughed, turning and swinging her left fist into the back of his head with more strength than he knew she had. He staggered forward, shocked, and she took advantage of his surprise, ramming a kick into the small of his back, sending him sprawling forward in the dirt. His mind was reeling. _This isn’t Sakura._

 

He whipped around, leaping to his feet. He crouched, watching her. She was smiling, cracking her knuckles, looking excited. _That’s not Sakura!_

 

“Oh, _Gods!_ This is what I live for!” She laughed, her voice back to that odd lilt he’d heard in the tea shop.

 

“Sakura-san-“

 

“See,” She said, throwing a punch so fast he barely dodged it, then kneeing him in the stomach, grabbing the back of his neck and whipping him to the ground again, stomping her foot down in between his shoulders, making his ribs creak, “That’s the problem with sharing the meat suit,” She bent down and picked him up by the neck, dragging him along, back toward the village, “People can’t tell when you’re around,”

 

“Who… Who are you?” He grunted, grabbing her wrist. She looked down at him, disgust in her eyes.

 

“No traitor, that’s for damn sure. The name’s Ibara,”

 

“Nice to meet you, Ibara,” He hissed, tightening his grip on her arm, “Here’s some advice,” He whipped his legs up, wrapping them around her arm, then snapped his body straight like a bowstring. She slammed to the ground, and he broke her hand, gasping for breath before scrambling to stand again. He looked down at the person who was wearing Sakura’s face and snarled. “Don’t leave yourself open to obvious attacks,” He brought his foot down hard on her head, knocking her out. “Sakura-san would have known that,”

 

He left her there in the middle of the road, hand swelling and nose bleeding. He felt an unexpected, small twinge of regret.

 

Maybe this would be harder than he had thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sasuke: You're Gonna Go Far, Kid , The Offspring
> 
> Sakura: Man Like That, Gin Wigmore
> 
> Ibara: Going To Hell, The Pretty Reckless
> 
> (posting now, editing later)


	81. Naru, Gone Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru wakes up and gets some news of varying dnd alignments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry i fucked up the chunin thing but it was the only way i could get this dumb shit to work

Naru awoke to Shikamaru, Choji, Akamaru and Kiba all in her apartment, (the latter of whom was snoring, like a growling dog the size of a horse) sprawled out on the floor. She smiled, and got up, boiling the kettle for some tea. She looked at the guys, and wondered if maybe she could get a roommate. It was amazing to wake up and have  _ someone else _ there. Even if they were drooling on the pillow you let them. 

 

She made tea and tried to gently wake them each. Kiba just groaned and rolled over, so she left his cup on the counter, Shikamaru squinted at her miserably and then set the mug down next to him, before pulling the blanket straight over his head.

 

Choji, however, smiled, and thanked her. He blinked the sleep from his eyes, and took the mug, sipping it and humming happily. He closed one eye and peered up at her, the smile still across his face.

 

“You remind me of my mom, just a little,”

 

“Really?”

 

“She’s tough like you, but really nice,”

 

Naru paused, then grinned brightly at him. “Then I’m glad I remind you of her!” 

 

He grinned back and sipped again. He looked at the other two boys, almost laughing. “Did you really try to wake them up?”

 

Naru shrugged. “Yeah, figured it’d be rude not to offer them some tea while I was making it,”

 

“Well, honestly, trying to wake Shikamaru is rude in and of itself. He loves sleep almost as much as he loves-“ He seemed to stop himself, looking at her face, “Shogi… he loves sleep almost as much as he loves Shogi. And it looks like Kiba’s opinion is the same. Most people like to sleep in,”

 

Naru frowned, her brows knitting together, “Oh, no! Should I have let you sleep, Choji-chan?”

 

Choji snickered, propping up his chin on his hand and looking into his cup. “Nah, I like getting up early. My mom cooks breakfast and I like to help her when I can. I like watching her get things ready, it’s soothing,”

 

Naru smiled at the thought of someone fussing around in the kitchen early in the morning, deciding what to make. She imagined a tall, blonde woman waking her and telling her she’d made her favourite. Naru didn’t know what her favourite would be, but she figured it’d have something to do with pork. She loved pork.

 

“You’re lucky Choji-chan. Really,” 

 

Choji looked up at her, his face falling a little. “You know, you can sleep over at my place any time. My mom is really cool about me having friends over. It wouldn’t matter that you’re a girl or anything,”

 

“Thanks, that’d be… That’d be really cool,”

 

They drank their tea together in the early morning sun, which shone through Naru’s south-east facing windows like a friend checking up on her. She laughed as quietly as she could at his jokes, so she didn’t wake the other two. 

 

The sun had risen, though it was hanging low over the horizon, when a firm, rapid knock sounded from the door. Naru sat up, looking at it, confused.

 

_ No one knocks on my door, especially not this early. _

 

Choji looked worried, and made to stand, but Naru motioned him to stay put. Itachi flashed into her mind again, all angelic features and boredom. Choji didn’t deserve to get mixed up in her demonic drama.

 

She got up and walked over to it, then yanked the door open suddenly. A messenger stood at attention there. 

 

“What the fuck do you want?” Naru said, surprise overtaking her. The messenger raised her eyebrows as she looked down at her. 

 

_ This lady used to drop off groceries when the old man was alive. She was a personal messenger for the Hokage. She shouldn’t be here- am I being arrested for kidnapping? All these guys  _ told  _ their parents they were staying over, right? _

 

“I’m here to get you and Nara Shikamaru, you little snot,” 

 

“Shikamaru-Kun didn’t do anything wrong,” She said, squinting up at the woman, who was squinting back down at her. There was a loaded pause. “Wait… and I didn’t either!”

 

“Sure... But I’m not here to arrest you. I'm here to bring you  _ both _ to the Hokage,”

 

Naru bit her top lip. She looked over her shoulder. Choji was watching her, worried. She smiled at him and walked over, kneeling down and shaking Shikamaru, hissing his name in his ear. He got up and glared at her like a damn Uchiha, grasping his mug like a weapon and looking around him.

 

“What?” He growled, “It’s the fucking ass crack of dawn. Why the hell are you getting me up?”

 

Naru held back a smile.  _ This is serious. _ “We’ve been summoned by Tsunade baa-chan. Gotta go. Drink your tea on the way,” She gestured for him to get up, and he did, pulling his vest back on over his _goddamn fishnet shirt_ and drinking his lukewarm tea with a disgusted look on his face. Naru scrambled to her counter and tossed Choji the keys to the apartment. “Hey, can you lock up and come find me when Kiba wakes up?” 

 

“Course, but only if you tell me what’s happening after you find out,” he said, still looking worried. Naru smiled.

 

“Course. And go ahead and eat all the food you can find. Not as good as home cooking, I bet, but it’s something. See ya later!” 

 

They followed the messenger out of the apartment building and down town to the Hokage’s dome. Naru looked at the back of the woman’s head, and she wished she could read minds. Just crack into people’s heads like eggs and see what’s in them. 

 

_ To do that I'd probably have to be able to read regular books without bleeding from the eyes.  _

 

She glanced at Shikamaru, who was glowering into the mug she’d given him.  _ Guess Grumpy over here isn’t a morning person. _ They were ushered straight into Tsunade’s office, which in itself was worrying, because, _what the hell was going on that was so urgent the Hokage could put what she was doing on hold to speak to two shitty little Genin?_

 

Tsunade looked angry. It wasn’t like she was pulling a face, or even frowning that much, but Naru could feel the anger radiating off of her like a space heater. She looked up at them, particularly Shikamaru.

 

“So, here’s the thing. I called you both here because I was told by the Ninja who were in the box with the Third Hokage that he had already put two names forward for consideration during the first round of the Chunin exams. It was you two,”

 

Naru felt like she was going into cardiac arrest.  _ What? But I didn’t even do anything? I just punched Neji!  _

 

Tsunade was still talking. “Now you, Nara Shikamaru, reading the reports, I have no reservations in promoting you. You’re absolutely Chunin level. I will honour the late Hokage’s wishes there,” She turned to Naru, her eyes sharp. Naru scowled.  _ This is just rude _ . To call her there and get her hopes up just to promote her friend was borderline _fucked up_. “Now, you,” Tsunade said, leaning over her desk and pointing at Naru, her face really angry now, “I’ve seen you fight. I _know_ you’re Chunin level. But you’re also an _idiot_ who takes damage for fun. On top of all that, the council believes that you shouldn’t be promoted period, let alone at the moment. Which is why-“

 

“This-“

 

“Don’t interrupt me, you little shit! Which is why I’m promoting you now, but don’t think I won’t put your little ass on guard duty in two seconds flat if you act up, do you hear me? Frankly, the council can shove it,” 

 

Naru grinned. “You sound like The Sage,” She laughed. Tsunade stood and leaned forward, holding her fingers a hair’s width apart. 

 

“Guard duty. Any second. You little monster,” She collapsed back into her chair, sighing loudly. 

 

“Okay, this is great, thanks,” Shikamaru groused, waving the mug in his hand over his head and scowling, “Why couldn’t this wait until regular business hours, with all due respect, Hokage-sama?”

 

Tsunade narrowed her eyes at him, then looked at Naru, then back again. Like she was thinking something funny but wouldn't let on. “Don’t hang around this one too much, Nara. She’s rubbing off on you,”

 

Shikamaru straightened up a little and nodded, but didn’t reply. Tsunade’s mouth twitched. 

 

“The reason we’re doing this now is because the village is drastically short of ninja. We can’t spare anyone, because if we slow down in taking assignments, it’ll be a signal to other nations that we’re weakened. That’s why everyone is so busy right now. We’re having to rebuild without the appearances of rebuilding,” She paused, looking at Naru again, “And in the early hours of the morning, Uchiha Sasuke left the village of his own accord. I’m dispatching the pair of you, and any ninja you can gather up, to pursue him, and bring him back. By any means necessary. Shikamaru, you’re the mission leader, Naru, you’re to _follow orders_. And both of you need to bring him home,”

 

Naru’s heart froze completely.  _ It’s all my fault. It’s all my fault! _

 

Shikamaru’s voice snapped her back to reality. She squared her shoulders and fixed her eyes forward. “With all due respect, Hokage-sama, Shouldn’t Naru stay here? There’s no need for two chunin on a retrieval mission,”

 

Tsunade squinted at him, but her mouth wasn’t twitching this time. Naru was fuming, trying hard not to look at him. “We don’t know if he’s with anyone. He could be surrounded by missing nin for all we know. There’s no guarantee that this will be a simple retrieval mission. Is there a _problem_ I should know about?” She snapped, looking between the two of them. Naru glanced out of the corner of her eye, and she saw Shikamaru, looking pensive, turning the mug she’d given him in his hands.

 

“No, of course not, Ma’am,” He bowed shortly. Naru nodded at Tsunade, and they both left. 

 

As soon as they were free of the building, Naru turned on him.

 

“What the fuck was that?” She snapped, getting up in his face. He looked down at her, both his hands wrapped around the mug in  a circle. He looked almost apathetic.

 

“I don’t think you can look at this mission in an impartial way,”

 

“Impartial? I can look at the whole thing, if that’s what you mean,”

 

“No, impartial means… Gods, really? You don’t know what impartial means?” He looked into his mug, sighing, “I don’t think you can do this mission because you love Sasuke,”

 

“Of course I love Sasuke-kun! He’s my best friend!”

 

“No, you’re _in_ love with him!”

 

She paused. She didn’t know if she was in love with him or not, but either way, she sure as shit was gonna come and get him back. She shook her head. “I don’t know about all that. Well, no matter what, it’s a good thing she put us both on this mission, and not just you,” She said. He looked up at her.

 

“For you, maybe,” He said. She frowned. 

 

“Okay, who are we thinking of for this? Choji-chan, obviously, and Sakura-chan, can’t have too many brains on something like this,”

 

“What about me?” Choji asked, jogging up to them and handing Naru her keys, Kiba and Akamaru trailing behind them, looking confused. Shikamaru looked over at them.

 

“Sasuke abandoned the village, we’ve been given a mission to go get him,”

 

Naru bit her tongue at the bluntness of it all.  _ Abandoned the village, abandoned Kakashi, and Sakura, and Me. _

 

“They didn’t have any Jonin or Chunin for this?” Kiba asked, furrowing his brow. Naru bit her top lip. 

 

“Yeah, two,” she said. Kiba looked around.

 

“Who are they?”

 

“Us, just got promoted,” Shikamaru said, looking miserable. Choji’s mouth twitched. He nudged Naru. 

 

“Bottom of the class to the first Chunin, huh?”

 

“Second,” She corrected, “Shikamaru-kun was the first. This is all beside the point. We need a team for this. You guys in?”

 

Both boys nodded. Kiba clenched his fists. “That makes a four man team, lets go,”

 

Shikamaru shook his head. “I’m getting a gut feeling that this isn’t going to be a normal mission. We should try to get someone else,”

 

“Sakura-chan! She’s smart, pretty strong, and she knows Sasuke-kun as well as I do. She’s a perfect choice,” Naru said. 

 

“Fine,” Shikamaru snapped, “But where is she?”

 

“Let’s check her house,” Naru said, narrowing her eyes at him, a familiar ball of irritation winding up in her chest. They all set off, but Sakura’s house was empty. Naru looked at the three boys, confused. “If she’s not here, maybe she tried to visit Sasuke-kun in the hospital again?” She suggested. Kiba shrugged, and Shikamaru crossed his arms.

 

“You know her better than we do,” He said. She nodded distractedly.

 

_ Did Sakura try to follow him all by herself? _

 

She jogged down the narrow streets to the hospital, but she wasn’t that close when she heard glass shatter and screaming. She looked up at the building to see Sakura, her left arm wrapped in a thick cast and a bandage over her nose, leap out of the second story window and land, crouched, on the grassy lawn in front. A nurse was leaning out the window, yelling at Sakura to stop. Sakura’s body straightened up, but Naru knew who was operating it. Naru ran up, stopping less than an arm’s length from her.

 

“Stairs too much effort, Ibara-chan?” She asked, crossing her arms and tilting her head. Ibara looked up at her and smiled her _ever so slightly_ deranged smile.

 

“She’s sleeping, don’t worry. She’s totally heartbroken. Cried herself out. I assume you’re here cause you know what happened?”

 

“Well we know that Sasuke-kun is gone, but I didn’t know Sakura-chan tried to stop him,”

 

“We both did. He kicked my fucking ass, man,” She made a face like she was trying to wrinkle her broken nose. “I’d come with you to chase him down, but they’re gonna straight jacket me now. I already hit the guy who did my nose. Shit hurts,” Ibara squinted at Naru, “You are gonna chase him, aren’t you?”

 

“Course I am. Even if it wasn’t a mission, I would. You know that,”

 

“I’m so confused right now,” Choji groaned, rubbing his face. The girls ignored him, and Shikamaru shushed him, looking taken aback. Naru could just _ hear _ his brain working. 

 

“Good. Break his pretty boy face for me, why don’t you? If he’s less cute maybe Sakura will talk less about him,” She said, gesturing to her face. “I’m gonna be in so much trouble when Sakura sees that our face is fucked up,”

 

“Who the fuck-” Kiba barked, but Naru just nodded. Two medical nin were jogging out of the hospital entrance, and Ibara glanced at them, grabbing Naru’s hand, pulling her in a little closer.

 

“Naru, She’d want me to tell you to be careful, and to bring that dickhead home,” She smiled, “I want to tell you to kick ass and drag him back by his stupid hair so I can have another go,”

 

“I’ll do all that, I promise,” Naru said, flashing her a grin and giving her a thumbs up. The Medi nin grabbed Ibara’s arms, and she let them drag her back. “And don’t get yourself locked up, you basket case!”

 

“We’re all basket cases!” Ibara laughed, kicking out a leg and cackling like she’d just heard the funniest joke on earth. “It comes with the territory!”

 

Naru turned to the three guys, all of whom looked like they’d just seen a ghost.

 

“What the hell was that?”

 

“None of anyone’s business,” Naru sighed, looking over her shoulder, “But it means she’s out of commission. Who’re we gonna get now?”

 

Kiba shook his head, staring at the hospital entrance, “It’s always the good looking ones, I swear,”

 

“Good thing we’re all ugly. Where’s Shino-san?”

 

“Speak for yourself,” Kiba said, flashing her a grin, “And he’s on a mission with his dad, something about spiders,”

 

Naru shuddered. “Ugh, gross,” She squinted, trying to think of someone else who’d be able to some along. “Does anyone know where Tenten-san hangs out? She’d be good on something like this,”

 

“She is also on an important mission,” A voice called from behind them. They all turned to see Lee limping out of the hospital, being supported by Neji. Naru smiled at the sight of him walking around, and dressed in his jumpsuit. She walked forward and hugged him one handed, so as not to displace Neji. 

 

“Eyebrows! Look at you! You look ready to kick ass. Guess the surgery worked?”

 

“You heard about it then? Yes, it seems to have helped a great deal!”

 

Naru grinned up at him, and he grinned back. “I’m guessin that you’re not up for a mission, though, are you?”

 

“Not quite, though,” He looked at Neji, who was looking down at Naru with an odd expression on his face. Naru looked up at him, hope rising in her chest.

 

“Bright eyes, I heard you wanted a word?”

 

Neji blinked at the nickname, but smiled a little and nodded. “I do,”

 

“Well, here’s your chance,” Naru crossed her arms, “Sasuke-kun went charging off into the night, so we gotta go after him and get him back. You game?” 

 

“I…” He glanced quickly at Lee, who was smiling, “I am,”

 

“Well, with you there, we can’t go wrong,” she turned back to the other three, “every second we waste is taking Sasuke-kun further away. We should get this thing poppin’ now, before he gets wherever the hell he’s trying to go,” She turned back to the two older boys and hugged Lee again.

 

“Eyebrows, you woulda been my first pick if it hadn’t been for the fact you were hurting. If ever I get another mission like this, you bet your ass you’re coming,”

 

“I look forward to it,” He let go of Neji, and stood on his own two feet, albeit slightly unsteady, “now, you have no time to waste, and neither do I. Go and get your teammate back!” He said, holding his fist out. Naru grinned ear to ear as she bumped it. 

 

“You’re a real one, Eyebrows,”

 

Then they all turned away, running out to the gates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: High Enough, K. Flay
> 
> Choji: The Kids Aren't Alright, The Offspring
> 
> Shikamaru: Hammerhead, The Offspring
> 
> Ibara: Make A Move, Icon For Hire
> 
> Lee: I Love You Like A Brother, Alex Lahey
> 
> Neji: Heaven On Hold, Bryce Fox
> 
> Kiba: Stuff Is Messed Up, The Offspring


	82. Shikamaru, Strategies And Sasuke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shikamaru has a plan. Shikamaru is the man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! everyone! This is gonna be a short one and i think it might be the only one cause my workday is hella long today! sorry!

Shikamaru was  _ not happy. _ One, he was being sent on a mission with Naru, who was probably not in a good enough place emotionally to make a decision between cereals, let alone in a fight. Second, He was being sent after Sasuke, who he liked about as much as Ino liked Naru. Third, to top it all off, he was having  _ emotions. _ Which were getting in the way of his forming a half decent strategy. 

“Okay, let’s stop here. I have a plan,” 

 

Naru skidded to a halt, whipping around, the usual light kindling in her eyes whenever she listened to his battle plans.  _ Gods, how am I supposed to focus with that around? _

 

Shikamaru explained his strategy, that they move forward in a line, with Neji in front, Himself behind Neji, Naru behind him, Choji after her and Kiba bringing up the rear. He could feel Naru’s eyes on his face while he explained the reasoning, and what they were responsible for. Naru sniffed loudly when he said that Choji had the most striking power out of all of them. He ignored her.

 

Then they set out, and he could hear Naru running behind him, the steady thudding of her feet lulling him into a rhythm of his own. She hadn’t noticed him slip her mug into his bag. He wondered if he was going to keep it.

 

_ Just… borrow it until she asks for it back? Say I forgot? She wouldn’t believe that… What am I thinking about? This is a mission that I’m in charge of, and I’m daydreaming about keeping a mug. _

 

Naru’s feet sped up, and she drew closer. Shikamaru was confused, but she leaned forward, and would have hissed in his ear is she wasn’t so short. As is was, she spoke quietly against his shoulder blade. “He’s close,”

 

Shikamaru almost stopped. A shiver went up his spine. Moments later, Neji, in front, came to a halt. He signalled for them to stop. “He’s right ahead. He’s with four others in a clearing. They look tough, but looks aren’t everything,” He glanced at Naru and then up at Shikamaru. “I presume you have a plan?”

 

Shikamaru nodded. He looked down at Naru, who was practically vibrating with anticipation, her eyes fixed blindly ahead of them. “Naru, you’re loud as shit,”

 

“Obviously,” She said, grinning up at him.

 

“And Sasuke is probably expecting you,”

 

“He knows I wouldn’t let him go,” she admitted, nodding. Shikamaru flinched internally.  _ Not the time for jealousy. _

 

“But he’s not expecting a team, so, we can use you as a distraction while we position ourselves for a surprise attack. if we can catch them off guard and I can lock them down, then we can effectively return all five to the village,”

 

“But you don’t have the chakra to maintain that kind of hold,” Choji hissed. Shikamaru nodded.

 

“But, I do have a backup generator,” He said, pointing at Naru. The other three looked confused. Naru beamed.

 

“Hell yeah you do. But this is all dependent on me being able to distract them without getting killed instantly,”

 

“Just so you know, you’re not making this easier,” Shikamaru said, rubbing his face and sighing. “I’m depending on your insane ability to get under people’s skin and a lot of luck here. This is not one of my best, I can tell you that much,”

 

“Seems great to me,” Naru said, “So just tell me when to stumble forward and start crying,”

 

“Don’t you think crying might be a giveaway?” Kiba said. Both Shikamaru and Naru shook their heads. 

 

“Nope,” Naru said, “no… it will not,”

 

Neji just kept his eyes trained forward. “It looks like they’re arguing. Sasuke-san is irritated, it almost looks like he’s their leader,”

 

“That’s odd, but it might just be because he’s a cocky little snot,” Naru said. Shikamaru felt his mouth twitch. 

“Okay, ready?” He asked, crouching. Naru nodded. “Go!” She shot forward, and dropped down into the clearing. Shikamaru crouched in a bush and pushed his shadows out, in a circle, around the edges of the clearing to the back. He was pulling a big risk here, guessing that they’d hold off on attacking while Naru shouted. They were all laser focused on her. The woman looked on edge, but didn’t make any move. It wasn’t like Naru was running out of steam, however. She was yelling at Sasuke that he was an idiot, hadn’t he ever listened to her? Did he really think what he was doing was going to make him any stronger at all-

 

Sasuke opened his mouth, ready to retort, and Shikamaru reached out, closing down on them. It took a second before they realised- but there was something wrong. None of them, save Sasuke, seemed perturbed by their inability to move. There was a crash behind him, and he whipped around just in time to block an attack from what looked like a clone of one of the members, forcing him out into the clearing. It broke the Jutsu, and now Naru was out in the open with five enemy nin itching to kill her.  _ Shit! _ The clone shrank back, and Shikamaru turned, ready to cover her, but Neji was already standing behind Naru.

 

_ He probably saw it coming. Good. _ Sasuke was glaring at Neji, but he barked to the four ninja beside him. 

 

“We don’t have time for this,”

 

“You? No time to show off? Did we track the wrong Sasuke-kun?” Naru spat. There were definitely tear tracks down her face, but she wasn’t crying now. Shikamaru drew in, and signalled Choji out.  _ Better to be closer at the moment. _

 

Sasuke turned to her and narrowed his eyes. “Someone take care of them,” He said, backing up. He pointed at the largest, “You, whatever your name is, incapacitate them then catch up,” The one with six arms pointed to his location and Choji’s. 

 

Shikamaru swore. Sure, the strategy hadn’t been one of his best, given all the unknowns, but to have been beaten out that easily?  _ Embarrassing. _

 

Naru stepped forward. “Fight me, Teme!” She yelled. He looked over his shoulder. 

 

“No,” He said, his voice almost breaking as he did. The female sound nin shot him a dirty look, and then they left. Shikamaru focused on this single opponent. 

 

_ Unknown abilities, appears strong. He’s cocky. Hasn’t spoken yet, he must be their weakest, but, that’s still obviously saying something. Even just on perception alone. We’re going to need Choji in this one. Guy looks like he can take a hit. _

  
Shikamaru glanced over at his team.  _ We’re fucked if we can’t get this guy out of the way quickly. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shikamaru: Loverboy, You Me At Six
> 
> Naru: Raise Hell, Dorothy
> 
> Sasuke: Comfort Eagle, Cake


	83. Naru, And The Choice She Never Thought She’d Really Have To Make

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru eats words she didn’t even say out loud

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> she didn’t really have a choice, but still

Naru’s hands were shaking, even as she balled them into fists. This guy needed to go. He was getting in the fucking  _way._

 

“Fuck you you pinhead looking motherfucker!” She spat. The man laughed, and slammed his hands to the ground. The earth shattered, and before they could avoid it, a dome of rock rose around them. Then darkness, full darkness.

 

A light flared, and Kiba stood, holding a match.

 

“Shit. This sucks,” He said, looking around at the rock tomb they were encased in. Shikamaru made a derisive noise.

 

“Yeah, it does,” He snapped. Naru brought her hands together and unscrewed them, pulling chakra out into her hands, but the rasengan didn’t form. She put more into it, and let herself yell as she did, pouring all of her anger and frustration out, but she couldn’t get it going. Her hands were burning again. But when she stopped, she could hear the sound ninja laughing.

 

“There’s no point you whiny bitch,” He laughed. She could  _ feel _ the others bristling. “No one has ever gotten out of my trap,”

 

Kiba’s match fell to the floor. It was dark again. Naru bit her top lip.

 

“And I’ve never been killed. One of us is going to have a first today. Congratulations! It’s you. You should use your winnings to have whoever did your hair murdered... brutally,” Naru said, moving her hands together to bring forward another attack. Kiba lit another match. Naru glanced over her shoulder at the others just as Neji brought his hands together and activated his Byakugan. He gasped. Choji spun around.

 

“What?” He asked, his face hard to read in the faint light. Neji shook his head.

 

“This is bad,” He looked at the wall, and then held his hands out in front of him, watching something that they couldn’t see.

 

“Bright eyes, speak up! What is it?” Naru asked, stepping toward him. Neji looked up at her, then around at the walls again.

 

“Our chakra is being drained by these walls. That attack of yours won’t do anything, it’s just concentrated chakra. You’re just bottlefeeding the walls,” 

 

Naru stared at him, her heart making a pretty decent effort to burst out of her ribs.  _ She couldn’t do anything? _ Neji dropped his hands and pursed his lips. He looked like he was thinking of something to say. Naru looked over at Shikamaru, who was staring around at the dome they were trapped in. He gestured for her to continue. She tried again, digging as deep as she could. Kiba’s match fell to the floor. There was some light coming from her palms as she put more power into them, but definitely not a rasengan. Kiba turned to Neji.

 

“Here, take these,” He said, offering him the little pack of matches. Neji took them, confused, but then Kiba fed Akamaru a little pill and crouched to the ground. Akamaru transformed, like he had during the preliminaries, into Kiba’s double.

 

“Fang over fang!” He shouted, and both he and Akamaru rocketed from wall to wall, causing deep craters to form. They could hear the man laughing outside, but Shikamaru gestured him on. Kiba did as much damage as he could, but no matter what, the walls just healed. Naru drew her fist back and hit the wall with all her strength, small craters forming under her fists, but there was no real progress. She paused to gasp for breath.  _ I never feel tired this quickly. What the hell is happening?  _ She moved to try her rasengan again, but Shikamaru gestured for her to stop. He walked up to her, squinting at a fixed point on the wall. 

 

“When I give the signal, do your loudmouth thing. Get him to talk to you,” he whispered.

 

He gestured to Choji, who cracked open a bag of chips and started shoving as many as he could in his mouth Kiba snarled at him. “Is this really the time for that you fa-”

 

“Shh-” Shikamaru looked at him. “You and Akamaru got one more of those in you?” Kiba looked confused for a second, but then grinned and nodded. 

 

Shikamaru turned to Naru, who took a deep breath. “Hey, lard ass! Do you think the reason they left you behind is that you look like someone took a starfish and wished it was a real boy? Or is it because you can’t tell one shoe from the other?” 

 

The man didn’t reply. She picked up a rock and threw it at the wall. “Maybe they went to strangle your hairdresser. Do the world a favour. Or maybe-”

 

“Shut up, you little-”

 

Shikamaru pointed at the back wall, in the opposite direction from where the voice was coming from, and both Kiba and Choji attacked it. Kiba first, making a dent, then Choji, who rolled into like a wrecking ball and shattered it. Naru’s knees almost buckled.  _ Damn! That’s a hit! Go Choji! _

 

They all ran out into the daylight, squinting at the sudden brightness of the sun and ducking through the rubble. The sound ninja stood, shocked, staring at the five of them. Naru pushed Shikamaru behind her, forcing herself to the front of the group. Shikamaru turned to Choji.

 

“Choji, you’re the shit,” He said. Naru grinned.

 

“Yeah he is, who knew you had that in ya? Here,” She reached her hand behind her, and he moved to give her a low-five, but she caught his hand. She pushed chakra through his hand, and he shuddered. she glanced away from the dome, back at him, and winked. “Maybe not as good as barbecue chips, but just as effective, ey?”

 

“Backup generator,” Neji hissed, staring at her. She looked back at the dome and nodded. The structure crumbled, and the man stepped through the wreckage, walking toward them calmly.

 

“Not bad. For trash, that is,” He said, smirking. Naru bristled, and hunkered down, bringing her hands together to summon clones. Kiba stepped forward too. They both rushed him, but the man swatted them like flies. Naru was dazed, her ears ringing, and next thing she knew, Choji was doing his expansion overhead.  _ Last person to hit me that hard was Kisame. Shit, this guy’s strong. _

 

She flinched, and then undercover of dust and rubble, someone seized her and retreated into the woods. Naru shook her head, trying to clear it, and looked up again. Neji had grabbed her and pulled her to safety. She fell back against the tree trunk nearest her, and winced. He pursed his lips again, his expression reminiscent of the one he’d worn when they’d first spoken. She flashed him a crooked smile, squeezing one eye shut from pain. 

 

“You behave as though it doesn’t matter if you get hurt,” He said, displeasure in his voice. She laughed.

 

“There are bigger fish to fry here than my self destructive tendencies,” She glanced over Neji’s shoulder at Shikamaru, who was throwing Kiba on the ground. “Right grumpy?”

 

He shot her a dirty look. “For once I agree,” He looked over at Neji, “Can you see where the others are?”

 

Neji looked around, and his frown got deeper. “They’re far. And getting farther. We’re going to lose them if we don’t move quickly,”

 

“We don’t have time. We’ll lose them,” Choji snapped, dusting himself off. He crossed his arms and looked at Shikamaru, who scowled.

 

“No,” Shikamaru snapped, before turning to Neji. “You, take Naru and Choji after them, Kiba and I will handle-“

 

But the ground shattered under their feet, and they were forced back again. Shikamaru swore, looking around. Naru could tell he was scrambling to form a plan. She might not have been very smart, but she could tell when they were up against a wall. The Sound ninja was approaching again, and he laughed when he saw them. Naru grit her teeth. She brought her hands together, but Shikamaru gestured for her to stay put. He knelt, sending his shadow shooting out toward the man, trying to subdue him, but the enemy ninja just brought his hands to the earth and lifted… 

 

“Are you fucking  _ joking _ ? Hey! You can’t just lift the  _ ground _ you asshole!” Naru shouted. Kiba seized the back of her shirt and yanked her out of the way as the man threw the massive ball earth right at her. Kiba sprawled on the ground, swearing as he scrambled up again. Naru leapt to her feet, looking around her. They were back in a clearing, obviously made by the Sound Ninja’s attacks. She hissed as Shikamaru, Choji and Neji dropped down next to them.

 

“Will you stop talking shit and just dodge?” Shikamaru snapped at her, looking furious. She rounded on him.

 

“You’ve been telling me to do nothing  _ but _ talk shit this whole time!”

 

“Save it for when we need it!” Shikamaru snapped, pointing at her. The ground rumbled again, and they all stared in different directions, trying to see where the next attack would come from. 

 

A hand shot out from beneath Shikamaru’s feet, and suddenly he was being yanked into the air by his ankles . Naru yelled something, but didn’t know what. Panic was overwhelming her, like it had when she was being kidnapped. All she could think was  _ not Shikamaru, Please not Shikamaru. _

 

“A terrible leader, really. More focused on arguing with the loud mouthed little bitch than actually leading your squad. I should do them a favour and just kill you now,” He laughed, and then whipped Shikamaru through the air. Choji shot forward, expanding again and catching Shikamaru easily. The man turned to him.

 

“Hey, Fatso, can’t you tell when someone is doing you a favour? I’m really helping you out by getting rid of this dogshit little chunin for you,” 

 

Choji glared at him, and Naru bit her top lip. “Shut your mouth you piece of shit!” She yelled, summoning her Rasengan and ramming it into his back. The man yelled and buckled forward as she leapt up, driving her palms as deeply into his shoulders as she could. 

 

“Stop!”

 

Naru looked up, and kicked off of the man’s back, Sending him buckling forward. She looked up to see Choji, standing, glaring at the Sound ninja.

 

“He’s mine,” He looked up at Naru, “And you don’t have time to wait around,”

 

“Choji-chan! No! We can kill him together! We aren’t leaving you-“ but she stopped at the look on his face. He tossed Shikamaru a small bag of soldier pills.

 

“Give these to everyone. Should help,” He flashed him a crooked smile. Naru opened her mouth to protest again, but the Sound ninja staggered back to his feet, rolling his shoulders. His tunic was torn, and his skin was ripped, but she hadn’t had a good chance to gut him. He laughed again, and she had the overwhelming urge to finish the job.

 

“Oh, you really think you’ll be able to do anything?” He sneered at Choji, charging forward. Choji pulled something out of his pocket and popped it into his mouth, crunching down on it. Naru gasped as the man crashed into her friend, but Choji held him fast. He grunted, then looked back at Shikamaru.

 

“Why was this squad formed? To get that idiot Sasuke back. I can take this guy. You all need to go. Now,”

 

Shikamaru grit his teeth. Naru stepped forward. 

 

“No fucking way-“ she said? bringing her hands together for what felt like the hundredth time.

 

“Choji,” Shikamaru said, grabbing Naru’s arm and yanking her back, stopping her from interfering, “Don’t take the red pill. Catch up to us,”

 

Choji nodded. Naru swallowed the lump in her throat. “Yeah, you better catch us, okay Choji-chan? Or the next barbecue session is on you,” She tried to stop her voice from shaking. How was it that just that morning, they’d been talking about home cooked food? Tears pricked her eyes. “I’ll kick your ass if you don’t catch us up!”

 

Choji caught her eye and nodded again. “Go!” he shouted. She bit her tongue, and let Shikamaru pull her away. 

 

They leapt out into the trees, her heart was throbbing in her throat, and she blinked tears away. But hadn’t she said this before?

 

Hadn’t she said to herself it’d be an easy choice between Choji and Sasuke?

 

_ This is the opposite of easy, god damn it. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Kill Me, The Pretty Reckless
> 
> Shikamaru: Beat The Devil’s Tattoo, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
> 
> Choji: Oh No, Goodbye June
> 
> Kiba: No Good, Kaleo
> 
> Neji: Wicked Games, Hot Damns
> 
> ( Ugh, I worked twelve hours today and i’m so damn tired. sorry this chapter is dogshit but it’s all I managed to scrape together)


	84. Choji, And The Three Pills

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Choji beats the shit out of some loser

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I /regret/ not using Jirobo's name in previous chapters

As soon as the other four were gone, Choji lifted the man into the air and threw him. He thudded to the ground, grunting. Choji could tell whatever Naru had done was definitely hurting him, because when his shoulders slammed into a tree he let out a low, agonised groan. Choji straightened up. 

 

He pulled out the ropes of kunai from his bag and wrapped them around himself, then expanded, rolling at the man as fast as he could. He leapt out of the way, but Choji couldn’t turn in time. He plowed through the tree and reversed, rolling at him again. This time he pulled a wall of rock forward.

 

_ Did this guy not pay attention earlier?  _ Choji wondered as he burst through the wall and into the man. He tried his best to hold him back, but Choji kept rolling until his knives buried themselves into him. For a moment, Choji thought he had him- but then the man looked up, strange marks weaving their way across his face, and he hit Choji hard in the stomach.

 

Choji was sent rocketing backward, slamming to the ground. The sound nin laughed. 

 

“In every team of five,” He said, straightening up and flexing, like new strength was surging into him, “There’s one man who’s obviously the weakest, always the butt of everyone’s joke. And when it really comes down to it, he’s the one to get left behind. Thrown aside, like the useless runt he is. That’s you,” 

 

Choji couldn’t help but chuckle as he struggled to sit up, then onto his knees. He was already feeling the effects of the spinach pill. He winced at the pain that shot through him. The Sound Nin paused.

 

“What’s so funny, brat?”

 

“Just thinking about what my friend would say,” Choji grunted, standing.

 

“What’s that?” The larger ninja snapped, glaring at him.

 

“She’d say ‘ _ Some _ body’s projecting’. Your team ditched you at the first opportunity. I told mine to leave you to me. They’d still be here if I hadn’t told them to go on,” He laughed again, pain shooting through his lungs as he did, imagining Shikamaru and Naru’s faces if they could hear the man in front of him prattle on. The sound Ninja’s face screwed up in anger.

 

“That’s the last mistake you’ll ever make, kid!”

 

“Bring it, pinhead,” Choji snapped, bracing for the next attack. The other man charged forward, but Choji blocked and dodged his first five blows. Then he took a fist to the face, knocking him backward. Off balance, he didn’t have time to block the knee that came from his other side. He barely got his hands in front of him in time to block the man’s shoulder. He saw the deep tears in the other ninja’s skin from where Naru had hit him, and drove his elbow down on the spot as hard as he could manage. The man yelled in pain and dropped to the ground. Choji gasped for breath and dove on top of him, slamming his elbow into the man’s shoulders as hard as he could. The man spat blood out, and Choji moved to get up, but arms wrapped around his legs and he was hoisted into the air. The man staggered, but slammed Choji into the ground. 

 

“You’re nothing but a reject. Pathetic. But don’t blame yourself when you fail. Blame that idiot of a chunin for choosing you in the first place,” He laughed, blood bubbling at the corner of his mouth as he moved to stomp down on Choji. 

 

Choji reached up and caught the kick before it hit, gripping the man’s foot as hard as he could and whipped him off his feet, slinging him into the ground and using the momentum to bring himself to his feet. “That’s where you’re wrong. You must be as dumb as you look,”  _ Because Shikamaru’s the opposite of an idiot. He’s the smartest guy on earth. And if the smartest guy on earth believes in me…  _ Choji expanded his fists and swung them down at him, hard, but he rolled out of the way just in time. “And it’ll be the death of you,”

 

He grasped the man and squeezed, feeling his bones begin to fracture in his grip, but he just grunted and began to change. His skin went darker, and he pulled his arms outward, breaking Choji’s grip and pushing his hands away. The man was a monster, a beast. He looked like a demon straight from hell. Choji leapt back, snapping his fists back to normal size and watching as the man began flexing again, trying out his new form.

 

_ This isn’t good! _ Choji pulled out his curry pill and rolled it between his thumb and forefinger, considering this new shape his enemy had taken. Shikamaru would have known how to take him down without taking another pill. Shikamaru would have known exactly what to do.  _ I’m not Shikamaru, and this is all I have. But I said I wouldn’t take the Chili pepper pill. I have to make this count.  _ He brought the yellow pill to his mouth and bit into it. Instantly, he felt his chakra rush up around him. The ground beneath his feet broke. He knew his body would suffer for this pill, even more than the last, but he swung his arms out, slamming them down around the man again, crushing him into the ground. He felt a kick land somewhere on his left palm, and grunted. But then he was holding nothing at all. He pulled his hands back, and they shrank to normal size again. He was expecting it when the man rocketed up underfoot, and landed a punch straight in his face. His head snapped back, and Choji leapt out of his way. the monster was moving as though he hadn’t taken any damage yet. 

 

Choji slapped his hands together and grit his teeth, gathering up as much chakra as he could and expanding. He stamped his foot down on the man as hard as he could, and ground him into the dirt like an ant, but the other Ninja pushed his foot up and threw it off of him. Choji reached down and pulled him off the ground, then threw him down with all his strength. There was a sickening crunch as he hit the ground, and one of his arms was definitely broken. But the sound nin struggled to his feet again, and with his one good arm, grabbed Choji’s leg and yanked him down to earth. Choji toppled to earth, and felt a blow land on his stomach. The jutsu broke, and he shrank back down, rocketing backward and slamming into a tree. 

 

He blinked up as the sound ninja approached, talking. None of it particularly worth listening to, really, even if his brain was functioning well enough to pay attention. He fished his pill case out of his pocket.  _ Sorry Shikamaru. Sorry Naru. I know I was supposed to catch you up… _  he brought the pill to his lips and bit down on it. His body felt like it was on fire the second it touched his mouth. An explosion. Him, the catalyst. 

 

And he thought about playing Ninja as a kid, how he’d always been the last chosen. How he’d eventually been told he couldn’t play at all. How Shikamaru had befriended him when no one else wanted to. He remembered the first time Shikamaru had approached him, sitting with his father, and told him to get out of his spot. 

 

Choji caught the fist the sound ninja had drove toward him, and crushed it like an empty soda can. The man yelled as Choji reached forward, grabbing his neck and snarled in his face. 

 

“I told you… That this’d be the death of you… You should have listened,” and then he threw him to the ground. The earth shattered, the man just watched as Choji strode forward, and then dropped into the crater that he’d made. 

 

Choji looked down at his face, tilted his head, and then brought his foot down on the man’s head, crushing it so thoroughly that it burst, gore spilling out into the fresh dirt. The smell of iron and fresh earth permeated the air, and Choji flinched.

 

He looked around, feeling his organs begin to fail. He staggered, and found that his legs carried him into the woods, in a direction he didn’t choose. He didn’t know why he kept moving, just that he didn’t have the strength to stop. 

 

Until he saw it. 

 

Carved into a tree was an arrow, and three messages. 

 

_ Hey! Choji-chan! Hurry up!  _

 

Kiba…

 

_ Choji-chan! Slow poke! Get moving! See you soon or else! _

 

Naru. He read the last message, and felt tears prick his eyes.

 

_ Come on Choji _

 

He smiled, collapsing under Shikamaru’s message. “Sorry guys… Looks like… Barbecue is on me next time…” 

 

Then there was nothing but darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Choji: Back In Black, AC DC


	85. Naru, Nice Save Neji

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poor Shikamaru's plans keep failing. Naru is #stealthy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry i'm getting slow here, MI comic con is coming up and i'm trying to scrape together a half decent cosplay

Naru could feel panic like water in her lungs, making her breath short and her hands sweat. Choji was going to be okay. Everything was going to be okay. They were running up on Sasuke’s convoy again, and things were feeling dicey. 

 

Shikamaru has faith in Choji. Shikamaru was the smartest guy Naru knew and if he felt like Choji could take that loser, then Choji could take him. She took a deep breath, bringing her hand to her chest as though she could hold her heart still.

 

Kiba, who was directly behind her now, drew closer. “Hey, are you okay?”

 

“Fine,”

 

“Don’t worry too much okay? Shikamaru-san says Choji’ll be fine. He knows the guy better than any of us,”

 

“I know,”

 

“We can’t afford to lose our heads here. We need you to get Sasuke back,” He said, pulling up next to her and peering at her face. She bit her top lip.

 

“I’m not here cause I’m a good thinker. My head isn’t exactly the most important thing right now, so don't worry about it,” She squinted forward, because Shikamaru’s head had twitched slightly. She was suddenly aware the other two boys were likely listening to every word they said. 

 

“You still can’t afford to get to emotional here-”

 

“What makes you think I’m emotional? Is it that Sasuke is my best friend? Or is it that I’m a girl?”

 

“Whoa! I didn’t mean it like that, Naru-chan, you know I didn’t mean it like that!” Kiba nudged her with his elbow, “Just that I care about you, and want to know you’re okay,”

 

Naru watched Shikamaru twitch again. Neji, upfront, was stoic, but she knew, somehow, that it was only because he could see their every move.

 

“Hey! Bright eyes!” She called, “Where are they?”

 

Neji jumped a little, but recovered instantly. “They’re not far now, but I’d wager they’re not aware we’re following,”

 

Naru nodded. “Shikamaru-kun!” The other boys flinched, “What’s going on in that brain of yours?”

 

“Naru, shut it!” He said, bristling, “Let me think of something, there’s not a lot to work with here,”

 

Kiba was chewing the inside of his cheek, and Naru looked up at him. “Can you tell how far they are, Kiba-chan?”

 

“Not exactly, but we’re definitely gaining. Your buddy Choji-chan definitely gave us a hand there,” He said. Naru bit her tongue.  _ Is he trying to cheer me up? _

 

“Got it,” Shikamaru said, punching his hand, his head snapping up. They all stopped. “We can try posing as their buddy back there, whatever his name was,” He looked over his shoulder at Naru, “sadly, you’re probably best at disguises, so it’ll have to be you,  _ again, _ god damn it,”

 

“So I run in and try to grab Sasuke?” Naru said. “Because he will  _ not _ come quietly,”

 

“Just knock him out and put him over your shoulder. He won’t be expecting it. Then you run, and we’ll smoke bomb them into oblivion, I’ll possess them and hold them until we’re in the clear then book it the fuck out of there,”

 

“But then I’ll be gone and you’ll be running on just your own chakra reserves, Shika-kun,” Naru pointed out. Shikamaru looked up at her. 

 

“That’d be true, if I didn’t still have a couple of Choji’s soldier pills. I’ll be fine, don’t worry,”

 

She squinted at him, but nodded. She snapped her hands together. “Henge!” She said, transforming into the sound nin Choji had fought. “Pretty close?”

 

“Pretty damn close, you look revolting,” Kiba said, wrinkling his nose. Naru laughed. 

 

“Damn, it didn’t work?” She said. Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

 

“Now isn’t the time for jokes,” 

 

“I assume you have a plan B, in case this doesn’t work?” Neji asked. Shikamaru smirked.

 

“If you get found out before you can grab Sasuke, then you fall back. Quickly. Neji and I will be flanking you, and Kiba- you and Akamaru should be on the ground. Use paper bombs to blast out the branches they’re standing on. These guys aren’t stupid, it won’t kill them, but it’ll buy us time to regroup,”

 

“That’s all dependent on Naru-chan’s ability to say no to a fight,” Kiba pointed out, crossing his arms. Shikamaru looked up at Naru, who crossed her arms. 

 

“I’m not some bull elephant, I’m capable of following orders,” She snapped. Kiba covered his mouth, and they all looked at him. “What?”

 

“Nothing,” He said, but she narrowed her eyes at him, “You just. I was gonna say you look like a bull elephant right now,”

 

Naru snorted, and Shikamaru glared at both of them. “We need to move,”

 

Naru nodded, and they all rushed off. This time, Naru took the lead, in front of Neji. Her mind was racing.  _ In a few minutes this might all be over.  _

 

Neji signalled when they were coming up close, and they split up, Naru darting forward to meet with them. They looked around when she caught up, and the woman spoke.

 

“They didn’t give you too much trouble, then, Jirobo?”

 

Naru shot her a dirty look. “What, those pathetic runts? Yeah, right,”

 

“Did you kill them?” Sasuke said, looking over his shoulder at Naru. She felt panic rise a little in her chest.

 

“They never got out of my Mud Dome, but I didn’t _check,_ ” She said, shrugging, “They’re _probably_ dead,”

 

Sasuke stopped without warning, glaring up at Naru. It was overwhelmingly strange, looking down at him.  _ The last time I was taller than him was the night before the chunin exams. Before all this happened.  _

 

“You were told to subdue them, not kill them, you idiot,” He snapped, glaring up at her. She scowled down at him, crossing her arms. 

 

“Why would it matter anyway? Not like it makes a difference if they’re dead or not,” She snapped, thinking of Choji.  _ He’s not dead, he’s not dead. _

 

“It matters because if five leaf genin are found dead, they’ll send Jonin next time. Do you have a brain in that thick skull of yours, or-”

 

“Sasuke get back! That’s not Jirobo. He’d never just  _ take _ an insult,” The woman snapped, leaping forward and yanking him away from Naru. The man with six arms leapt forward, sneering, and gestured the others on. Naru fell back, and transformed back into herself, eyes on Sasuke as he was pulled away from her  _ again. _ .

 

“Kidomaru! Take care of this kid, and catch up with us later,” She snapped. The eight armed man, Kidomaru, didn’t look back at her. He was just staring at Naru, looking like he was chewing on something. He spat at her, a spiderweb unfurling from his mouth, and Naru dodged it, barely. She saw it wrap around the tree behind her.

 

“Why the fuck are you all so _fucking_ nasty?” She snapped, looking back at him, pointing at the web, “Why? There is  _ no _ reason for that kind of behaviour!”

 

Naru moved back again as Kiba’s paper bombs went off underfoot, blasting the sound ninja backward, and producing smoke and sending wood chips flying in every direction. The man, Kidomaru, swore and jumped away just in time, and Naru leapt up, producing a handful of clones and sending them out after him, slipping through the trees and out of sight. 

 

She watched as they all landed in another web, and stuck there, like flies. Kiba and Akamaru came rocketing up at him, but he used more spider silk to steer himself in thin air and land in a tree, out of reach. Kiba and Akamaru landed on branches below him, but couldn’t move from there, stuck by more webs. Naru shifted, watching as Shikamaru’s shadow came into view, sliding along down a tree, out of the man’s sightlines, and toward him. Kidomaru looked around. 

 

"Too quiet,"

 

He used his silk to swing away again, catching sight of the shadow and tracing it to where Shikamaru was hiding. He spat out more webs, forcing Shikamaru out into the open, and then pinned him with another massive web like the one that was holding Naru’s clones. Kidomaru was smiling, suspended upside down and looking at her captured teammates. She could practically  _ hear _ Shikamaru’s brain whirring, formulating ten plans but unable to communicate any of them. 

 

_ Stay hidden Neji, stay hidden or I swear… _

 

But Neji couldn’t read her mind. He leapt out, moving to strike Kidomaru from behind, but the man dodged, and caught Neji in another web. Naru couldn’t decide if she wanted to roll her eyes or vomit. 

 

But then he started wrapping Neji in a cocoon, and bile actually rose in her chest.  _ Why did it have to be a spider guy? Really? A spider? Why me? _

 

Then he started shifting around, moving to a stop above the web holding her clones. She snarled silently as he started talking.

 

“Let’s play a game, shall we?” He laughed, sliding along his web and making a face like he was chewing again. She watched one of her clones pull a knife and try to cut away at the web, but it wouldn’t go through. Kidomaru laughed again, “You can’t cut it. My chakra is running through all these threads. You’ll  _ never  _ get loose,”

 

Her clone whipped around and looked up at him. “So what are you waiting for?” She snapped. Kiba groaned, and Akamaru changed back to his usual form. Shikamaru struggled for the first time.

 

“Naru, keep your fucking mouth shut!” He yelled, glaring at her, but she laughed humourlessly.

 

“Come on, bug boy, make a move,” the clone sneered. Kidomaru grinned. 

 

“Famous last words,” He said, pulling a collection of long, sharp hooks from his throat. One of Naru’s clones made a wretching noise.

 

“Man, can you get any more disgusting?” The lowest clone snapped. The one who was face down snickered.

 

“I'm glad I can't see,” She laughed. Kidomaru scowled.

 

“How about this, I kill you one by one, and we see how many shots it takes to hit the real one,” He laughed. Naru’s clones all froze, and Kiba started shouting.

 

“Back off you freak of nature!” He growled, yanking at the webs holding him to the branch. The clones who could, stared up at Kidomaru in horror. He was grinning again.

 

“Oh, come on,” He laughed, selecting his first target, “everyone loves a good game of Run The Runt Through,” He threw his first sickle at one of the clones, who disappeared. Naru began creeping quietly through the trees, trying to get behind him. He was enjoying himself, not paying attention. Both Shikamaru and Kiba were struggling now. She bit her top lip. 

 

One by one, Kidomaru picked away at Naru’s clones. When there was one left, and she was in the right place, she let him throw the spear. She dropped down, grasping his head, moving to snap his neck, but he grabbed her wrist with one of his six hands and turned. She kicked off of his face and leapt back, and he dropped down a branch and caught himself. She landed solidly on a branch, and he glared up at her. She crouched, staring down at him, his arms, his face, a bruise blooming on his dark skin. She flashed him a grin.

 

“You look like one of Shino-san’s nasty little specimens,” she said, “Why don’t you get back in your box, freak?”

 

“You really almost had me,” He said, grinning back, one of his hands clenching into a fist as he straightened up. He considered it, turning it from side to side. His eyes flicked back up to her. “ _ Almost _ ,”

 

He yanked his hand down, and she was pulled forward off her branch by her wrist. Her heart practically stopped.  _ The bastard got a thread on me and I couldn’t even tell! _ She grabbed her wrist, trying to find it, break it, but it was pointless and she was flying toward him. 

 

Then Neji came out of nowhere, his hand slicing through the thread. He kicked off a tree trunk and grabbed Naru out of the air, pulling her into him and landing up on her branch again. He set her down gently, kneeling at her side, his pale eyes searching her face. 

 

“Are you alright, Naru-san?”

 

“I’m totally ace, not a scratch. You good?”

 

“Of course,” He glared down at Kidomaru, who was looking up at him in horror. “Maybe a little bit  _ angry, _ but physically? I’m fine,” He looked back at her. She took his hand. She forced chakra into his system, not as much as she’d given Choji, but he’d had a handful of soldier pills, so his system probably wasn’t too drained. He fixed on her face. “Naru-san, you need to leave. I've already freed the others. Don't argue. He's mine,"

 

“One sec,” She mumbled, grabbing his hand in both of hers. He moved to pull away, but she just got to her knees and edged closer to him.

 

“Naru-san, you realise that you  _ need _ your chakra, don’t you?” He protested, placing his other hand on her shoulder, keeping her at arm's length.

 

“Okay, you’re good, go kill him,” She said, letting go of his hand. He paused, and he looked like he was about to say something. She looked up into his pale eyes, and smiled. “Spit it out, Bright Eyes, come on, we don’t got all day,”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: No Duh, K. Flay
> 
> Shikamaru: Mr. Dibbs "Fight For Air" Mash Up, The Black Keys
> 
> Kiba: Rap God, Eminem
> 
> Kidomaru: Still Don't Give A Fuck, Eminem
> 
> Neji: I Need A Doctor, Dr. Dre


	86. Neji, And the Nice Save

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> nice save naru

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one's up kinda late. It's been a rough ass day.

Neji couldn’t take his eyes off her. Truthfully, he hadn’t all day. Metaphorically, he hadn’t since the exams. She was just someone you couldn’t help but watch. But that was the thing, wasn’t it? No one could take their eyes off her. It’d be different, if he was the only one, like he’d thought at first. It’d be different, if it was only him. He wasn’t even alone in his feelings on this makeshift squad. He could see it in Shikamaru’s eyes. In his every move. He wasn’t really sure what his feelings were, but he knew he wasn’t alone in them. 

 

And he’d been wanting to say it all to her, for months he’d had words in his mouth, in his throat, waiting to spill from his lips at the first sight of her, but now that she was in front of him, smiling despite the waiting predator beneath them, laughing in the face of danger as she always did, he couldn’t possibly say any of them.

 

“We’re leaf ninja, you and I. We are here to get Sasuke-san back, to save him from himself. Naru-san… Sometimes, sometimes I think that your eyes are even sharper than mine. Sasuke-san, he’s in the darkness,” He said, just so he was saying something. Her smile fell, and he bit back the words he really wanted to let fall forward, “and if anyone… if any single person could pull him out of it, it’s you. I… I’ve wanted to say-”

 

Naru yanked him forward and hugged him. He almost choked in the shock of it, his arms hanging awkwardly at his sides as she drew him into her. He wanted to pull her to him, he wanted to tell her…

 

He pulled away and stood, offering his hand to her, to help her to her feet. She took it, wiping her eyes on her arm surreptitiously as she stood. “Hey, don’t let this freak hurt you, okay? I’d hate to have to kick your ass again,”

 

“You don’t have to fight me again Naru-san,” He said, “I still remember the first time well enough,”

 

Naru smiled and hugged him again, quickly this time. “Be safe, Bright Eyes,” She said, as Kiba landed behind her and Shikamaru on Neji’s other side. Neji nodded to her, then gestured violently behind him.

 

“I’ll be right behind you. Now go!” He said. She hesitated, and Shikamaru seized her arm, pulling her away. Neji turned to Kidomaru, who had narrowed his eyes at him. 

 

“Oh, you’re done? You weren’t gonna kiss her goodbye?” He sneered. Neji didn’t react. He just settled into his defensive pose. Kidomaru grit his teeth, he was obviously trying to draw him into an attack, see what he was up against. Neji wouldn’t take the bait. But Kidomaru smirked. “How about I bring her back here for you? Give you another shot?” He sneered, pulling more silk from his mouth and flinging it after Neji’s squad members, shooting to kill. Neji moved quickly, slicing through the web and making sure his team got away safely. He watched Naru’s back as she fled. She looked back at him once, worried. 

 

_ Don’t, Naru. Don’t worry. I’ll beat him. I can't lose. _

 

He turned back to Kidomaru just in time to activate his byakugan. He dodged the oncoming webs as they were spat at him, and sliced through the chord the man slung toward him. He looked down at Kidomaru, who was considering him again, his eyes narrowed and his mouth twitching. 

 

More webs, which Neji sliced through easily, and now Kidomaru was smiling. Neji moved down closer, searching for an opening.  _ I just need to get close and shut down his network. Should be easy enough. _ He dropped, down behind the branch he was standing on, and used chakra in his palms to let him swing from under it toward him. Kidomaru began spitting out webs at him quickly, but he managed to slice through them. Landing beside Kidomaru, he began his eight trigrams, sixty four palms seal, and started hitting him. Kidomaru tried to block with a pair of his forearms first, but was driven back as Neji struck again and again. When it was finished, Neji stood back, panting, waiting to see if he’d done it.

 

_ Too easy. It was too easy. _

 

The man paused. He staggered. His skin… there was something wrong with his skin. Was it… cracking? Then he spat out three webs in quick succession, effectively pinning Neji to a tree and immobilising him. Kidomaru was speaking, taunting him, but Neji wasn’t paying attention. He was focusing on his own chakra network.  _ Can I use one of my hands to cut myself free? Can I move my wrist enough to start the cut? No. But If I channel my chakra in my system through my whole body… _

 

He closed his eyes and focussed on pushing the chakra through his entire network, forcing it outward. He could sense the attack Kidomaru was forming, directing at him. He felt the time window narrow, he knew he was working against the clock. Then he hit it, shredding the net around him in time to dodge the heavy spear that was rocketing toward him out of the sound ninja’s throat. 

 

Kidomaru was shedding an armour-like substance, but the spear had gone through the tree behind Neji, trapping him for the time being. He ran forward along it, and flipped over the man’s head, landing behind him and moving to strike him again, but he just produced more armour, and Neji knew, even with Naru’s given chakra, he was just wasting energy on continuing to try to attack him that way.  _ I need to get within the armour. This is just like Lee and Gaara’s fight. How do you beat an invulnerable opponent? _

 

He fell back, trying to gain space, anticipate his next moves, but the sound ninja was doing something else now. His skin was changing, a pattern moving over his face as he grinned. 

 

“You know, you almost had me there, you and your little girlfriend are just full of surprises, huh? She _is_ a girl, isn’t she?”

 

Neji said nothing. In the end, it didn’t matter what this man thought. Just that he beat him. He was flexing, opening and closing his fists, cracking his neck. Neji checked his chakra network.  _ He’s had a complete resurgence of power. Something is happening here that I can’t explain. _

 

“It’s exciting, facing off against someone who can keep the game interesting,” He said, looking at Neji and grinning, “I almost wish I could make this last. But… Time is of the essence,” He disappeared, faster than even Neji could track. Neji fell back, onto the ground, waiting, turning his head ever so slightly, keeping his blindspot on the move. A knife dropped out of nowhere and he leapt out of the way. A bomb was tied to it, but it didn’t go off straight away. Instead, a shower of Kunai rained in around him. He deflected them using rotation, trying to see if he could find where Kidomaru was hiding when he stopped. If he kept going on like this, he’d tire quickly. 

 

_ There, behind me. If I move quickly enough, I can put a knife right through his eye. But I have to be fast. _

 

He turned, throwing the knife- But He dodged, and then they were just staring at one another.  _ I’m beginning to think I may not catch up with the others as quickly as I’d hoped. _

 

Kidomaru dropped, hanging himself upside down, smirking again. Neji braced himself. More knives came flying from all directions, forcing him to rotate again, and when he could finally stop, Kidomaru was on the back of a massive spider. Neji felt his heart skip a beat.  _ This can’t be good. _ Kidomaru was grinning, yet again, speaking in his cocky way, wasting time. Neji chewed on the inside of his cheek.  _ I have to kill that spider as quickly as possible. _ But it was already laying a massive egg sac, and Kidomaru was spitting out a short spear. He slashed the sac, emptying hundreds of arachnids down on Neji’s head. Rotation, sending them flying back away from him, their silk tangling around him. When they were gone, he saw Kidomaru whip the spear at him when his back was turned. He slapped it out of the air, flinging to the ground and glared up at the other Ninja.

 

“Impressive, but I wonder how long you can keep this up, kid,”

 

Knives first. He leapt up, out of the way, only to be surrounded by yet more kunai. Then spiders. Double the amount from before. He was tangled in webs now, and unable to use rotation. He was forced to continue using trigrams, until knives were flung at him again. Too slow, and unable to cover his blind spot in time, he took a blade to the shoulder. The pain ripped through him like he had caught flame. He used his chakra to cut the webs around him again, and turned to where he knew Kidomaru was hiding. The wound was neither fatal nor particularly debilitating.

 

_ But now he knows I have a blind spot. _

 

More spiders, but before he could even start, another knife lodged into his back. He lurched forward with the force of impact. Not fatal. More spiders, and he could hear Kidomaru laughing now. He had no chance of getting closer, he was pinned. Stuck. Caught. 

 

More knives. Another in the back.  _ He’s finding the gap in my vision consistently now. This is bad. Very bad.  _

 

His hair fell loose, and two knives found their way to him. He collapsed forward, onto his knees.  _ I can’t stop. I can’t get through his armour, and I can’t do anything to him long range. He’ll see it coming a mile away. But he can’t kill me with these knives. They aren’t hitting hard enough. He needs more force, and he’ll need to steer. And I need to kill that damned spider.  _

 

Kidomaru was running his mouth again, cackling, taunting. Neji couldn’t help but think of Naru. No one could ever goad him into exposure. Not while he knew she’d be shooting her mouth off if she were there. Who could ever taunt someone who’d faced her? He’d already been thrashed in a in arena filled with people, his flaws laid bare and his soul spread wide like a flag and flown. No one could harm his pride now. He saw Lee, in his minds eye, getting up over and over again. Refusing to give up. _He’d_ known this whole time. Lee and Naru were two sides of the same coin, truly. He’d just been blind to it until she’d knocked sense into him. Literally. Until she punched him in his face, laughing as she yelled that she wasn’t alone at all, he’d never realised. Strength is earned. Worked for. Hardships are to be endured for its sake. 

 

He stood. His feet finding the ground. The spider dropped from the air, down onto his head. He struck it, with all the strength and chakra he could muster. It exploded outward, showering the clearing with more spider silk. As it cleared, he saw more knives flying at him. He sent chakra out of his every pore and rotated, knocking the knives out of the air and throwing off the ones buried in his back. He could hear Kidomaru hiss a swear word under his breath, and see leaves rustling. He turned to the man’s hiding place.

 

“I assume you have a move you’d like to try next?” He said coldly, eyes fixed where he knew he was. “I’d really like to hurry this along. My friends are faster than they look and will likely be hard to catch up with if I linger much longer,”

 

Kidomaru grinned, and his curse mark began to shift again. His form changed, turned demonic, and he shot out from his hiding place. He spun a web, placing himself in the center of it, and withdrew a bow from his mouth. Neji snarled up at him.

 

“I really wouldn’t have banked on you giving me this much trouble!” He laughed, pulling an arrow from his throat and taking aim. Neji dodged it easily, feeling it enter his chakra field, but it blasted a crater into the ground so deeply he was forced back. He saw the man take aim again, and he was forced to move quickly to dodge. Neji kept moving, constantly swiveling his blind spot. He could dodge them, but this fight was stretching on, and he was running out of chakra due to the field he was being forced to maintain. He thought of his fight with Naru, how she’d taken a hit as a part of her strategy, and burrowed underground to get out of his line of sight. 

 

_ I can’t get him up close, and I can’t do anything externally because of his armour. I need to take a hit, and somehow shut him down from the inside out. All these attacks, these weapons… they’re coming from his mouth. If I could somehow get him to run a line and keep it, then- _

 

An arrow whistled dangerously close to his face, ripping through the trees around him and cutting off his headband. And a thread was trailing from its end. He turned tail and sprinted away. 

 

He could hear it whistling behind him, and tried to plan his move so he could take the hit without dying. These arrows were blasting the ground into non-being. How on earth was he to avoid them?

 

He bit the inside of his cheek, he braced for impact, and slid sideways slightly. The arrow shot through him, through a tree and straight into the ground, locking him there. He grasped the thread, channelling his chakra along it, stretching it as quickly as he could back into Kidomaru, who was rejoicing, and taking aim for a second shot. 

 

_ Faster, faster, before he severs the line! _ Neji thought, panic rising in his throat. Is this how Naru always felt? Taking risks, poorly calculated? Was she really that brave?

 

And He heard Kidomaru’s breathing hitch as his organs began to fail. Neji cut the thread, running through the woods, toward the man, who was falling, dropping through the air. He could see him, and he was badly wounded. 

 

He leapt up, coming face to face with him, and shut down his chakra network, one hit at a time, until he was coughing up blood. Neji fell to his knees when they both hit the ground, and looked down a Kidomaru, flat on his back and in his human form again. 

 

Kidomaru looked up at him. “You’re on death’s door kid. You took that hit, just to get one up on me… But it looks like it’ll be the end of you,”

 

“No, I will not die as easily as this,” He said, glaring down at the man. More blood came running out of his mouth. It was true, however, that he’d taken far too much damage. 

 

“Well, none of it matters anyway. Your mission’ll be a failure in the end. Sasuke Uchiha left the leaf for the sound of his own free will, and nothing anyone can do will stop-”

 

“She can,” He spat, cutting the man off. He paused, and looked at him. 

 

“Listen kid, I don’t care who your stupid girlfriend is,” Kidomaru said, “She can’t do anything,”

 

“She can. She can save him,” He smiled a little, looking up at the sky, watching as birds flew overhead, and feeling the light on his face. Bright, and warm, “Like she saved me,”

 

“Ugh,” The man groaned, his head thudding into the ground as all his strength left him. Neji let himself topple, falling sideways, watching feathers float down through the air. 

 

“She set me free, and I owe her everything,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Neji: The End Is Where We Begin, Thousand Foot Krutch


	87. Naru, And The Bad Bad Plan B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru is confused by Shikamaru’s strategy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> guys I am so sorry I didn’t update yesterday or all day today. My schedule has been insane, normally all of my jobs are pretty easy to stack up, but this week has been insaaaaane!

Naru wasn’t going to let the other two know just how worried she was. Choji hadn’t come back, Neji hadn’t caught up, and she was getting a foreboding feeling that they’d be forced to split up further. She didn’t want her friends to get hurt due to Sasuke’s choices, but he had left them with none of their own. She had to get him back. There were no other options. Setting her possible feelings aside, he was a leaf ninja who knew several of the techniques that were supposed to stay within the leaf, and only in the leaf. 

 

He’d face serious consequences upon his return. Perhaps even imprisonment. And the end result would be, inevitably, an even more dramatic change in their relationship than had already taken place. He’d never forgive her for being the person to drag him back to the village, and ruin his chances of achieving his goals. If he was to be imprisoned as a traitor, _or_ even just kept within the village, a hold put on his training, the lightest possible sentence he could be reasonably expected to suffer, then there was frankly no chance of him ever killing Itachi. 

 

She considered murdering Itachi herself. But how could she, when it was Sasuke’s life goal? How could she take _yet more_ from him?

 

She bit her lip. For the hundredth, thousandth, millionth time, she felt the weight of all of their youth. The lack of life they’d lived. She questioned the realities they faced as soldiers.

 

_How is this normal?_

 

She looked over at Shikamaru. Maybe it made sense to him. Maybe the reason that the world was such a mystery, so utterly inexplicable, was just because of her own ignorance of it. She was sure it made sense to him. 

 

“We’re getting close again,” Kiba said, looking at Shikamaru, then Naru. He paused when he saw her face. “Naru-chan, you’re bleeding,”

 

Naru put her hand to her mouth and felt a deep wound along her top lip. She’d bitten through it again. she wiped it away impatiently. “Don’t worry, just a split lip. It’s worse than it looks,”

 

Shikamaru was silent, but he was watching her out of the corner of his eye. She ignored him. It was another minute before he spoke.

 

“Okay, I have a plan,”

 

She looked over at him, slightly nervous. These ninja were way beyond them. Even Shikamaru’s strategistic prowess had done them no good so far. They were just up against too much experience, too much skill. 

 

_ Neji gone. Choji gone. We’re definitely going to be isolated in the end.  _

 

“We’re going to roll this kinda similar to last time, but since we’re running low on people-“

 

“Shikamaru-kun, we’re never running low on people,” Naru interjected, “Not as long as you have me,”

 

He looked at her, something clicking. She saw him twitch his hands, almost like he wanted to put them together.

 

“Yeah clones are kinda your specialty,” Kiba said, looking around at her, “But do you have enough chakra to make a lot of them?”

 

“Don’t worry about my chakra, Kiba-chan, My chakra is just fine,”

 

“How many clones do you think you can make right now and still be useful in a rough fight afterward?” Shikamaru asked, pensively. 

 

Naru paused, digging up her chakra reserves and measuring them. She always had the Kyuubi as backup, but her human Chakra had definitely taken a hit, not only from the fights, but from her giving it away. Naru bit her lip. It tasted bloody, but was fully healed. 

 

“Probably twenty. Fifteen of we’re being conservative,”

 

“No, I’m talking about maintaining them. How many do you think you could use in a fight?” He snapped, as though she’d misunderstood.

 

“Yeah, like I said, twenty, fifteen of i’m being conservative. But let’s face it: I’m not gonna _be_ conservative,”

 

Shikamaru blinked unhappily at her. “I would never accuse you of trying to do something  _ sensible, _ Naru, don’t worry,”

 

She couldn’t help but smile, despite the panic in her chest threatening to swallow her whole. She looked ahead. “So what’s the plan?”

 

“You and several of your clones will drop out of sight and plant paper bombs underneath the two sound ninja while Kiba and I engage. They’ll likely tell Sasuke to continue, which is when you and your remaining clones tail him and overwhelm him. When I give the signal, Kiba and I will drop smoke bombs and disengage and your clones will detonate the paper bombs. We’ll hopefully lose them in time to assist you in dragging Sasuke back to the leaf, and then we’ll be able to set traps along the way, because they’ll undoubtedly pursue us,”

 

“Plan B?”

 

“Blow us to hell and get Sasuke back by yourself. I doubt you’ll really need us for it anyway,” He shrugged. Naru narrowed her eyes at him.

 

“Your plan B is for me to explode you? Really Shika-kun?”

 

“It’ll eliminate two very real threats, and we’re all under the knowledge that we could very seriously die on this mission, right Kiba?”

 

Kiba looked at Naru, Then nodded, “Right,” He said sharply. Naru wanted to scream. But instead, she bit her tongue and thought.

 

“If I could… theoretically, produce… let’s say… a hundred or so clones, overwhelming the two sound ninja and allowing the pair of you to go get Sasuke-kun back, would that be an okay plan?”

 

“But you can’t produce a hundred clones,”

 

Naru bit her top lip again. “I… I could…”

 

“There’s a ‘but’ there,”

 

“It wouldn't… be pretty… exactly,”

 

“You’d hurt yourself to do that, wouldn’t you?” Shikamaru said sharply, glaring at her. She scowled. 

 

“You just offered up your life. I can tucker myself out a little,”

 

“Naru-chan,” Kiba interrupted, “How much chakra, exactly, are you packing? We’re talking a  _ hundred _ functional shadow clones here,”

 

Naru looked at him out of the corner of her eye. She didn’t want to explain the Kyuubi to them. She didn’t even want to approach the subject.

 

“Like I said. Don’t worry about it,”

 

“Would that kill you, Naru?” Shikamaru snapped. She frowned at him again, looking him up and down.

 

“No. It wouldn’t kill me. But it wouldn’t be nice, and… and I’d want both of you safely out of the way when I did it,” She was thinking of shattered ground by the waterfall, and skin peeling away from a stark white face. _When I let that kind of energy go… it’s not good._ _I’m not really good at keeping my head on for this stuff._

 

“What… Like you’d… hurt us?” Kiba asked, frowning at her. Disbelief was in his eyes. She bit her top lip again.

 

“I’m not saying _I’d_ hurt you Kiba-chan. I’m just saying it’s possible you could _get_ hurt mixed up in something like that,”

 

“Let’s… let’s try Shikamaru-san’s plan first… then we’ll see how it goes,” he said hesitantly. Naru grimaced.

 

”I’m not killing either of you. If it comes down to a maybe, then neither me or my clones will pull that trigger,”

 

”You have to Naru, that’s an order,” Shikamaru snapped, glaring over at her. She glared right back, snarling a little.

 

”Neither of your blood will never be on my hands. Never. This is recovery, not risk,”

 

”There’s risk in recovery Naru-chan,” Kiba snapped. She felt a growl rise in her throat. 

 

“I’m on this earth to save lives, not end them, not if I can help it. I will not kill my friends,”

 

”You might not have a choice,” Shikamaru snapped. She shook her head.

 

”There’s always a choice. When your back is against a wall, break the fucking wall and use a brick to brain the person who put you there,”

 

Kiba snorted. “Can’t argue with that,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: COPYCAT, Billie Eilish
> 
> Shikamaru: Take On The World, You Me At Six
> 
> Kiba: SCUM, RATBOY


	88. Kiba, Fuck! Fuck All Of It! Shit!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiba hears a lot of things that are Not What He Wanted To Hear

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm the #worst I'm so sorry i'm being inconsistent i;m just workign a lottttt rn feel free to shame me

Kiba had an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach as he looked at the expression on Naru’s face. There was something there that he wasn’t sure he recognised. _Or liked_. 

 

She had blood on her mouth still, smeared across her face and toward her cheek. He was nervous about her new ability to share chakra and this strange desire to have them as far from her as possible if she were to summon the  _ frankly _ unbelievable amount of clones she was suggesting. He had a suspicion that she was bullshitting, and just trying to sacrifice herself. His instincts, the hum deep in his spine, however, believed her capable of it. Still... the way she was talking about it...

 

_ Definitely a last resort. _

 

Kiba could smell them drawing close to the three ninja they were following. There was something wrong. He could feel that too. Even just in the way Naru was running, he could feel it. She was normally so sure of herself, moving like the space she occupied was rightfully her own. But now, in the forest, chasing her best friend, she ran silently- tucked into herself, like the very air she breathed was borrowed.  _ Like Hinata. _

 

“We’re close. You should get those clones going, Naru-chan,” He said. Naru nodded. She did the handsign and about twenty five clones appeared. The original looked at Shikamaru and Kiba. 

 

“Good luck, losers,” She said, then she leapt out of sight. A few of her clones repeated her sentiment before they all hit the ground and disappeared into the underbrush. Shikamaru caught Kiba’s eye.

 

“You _are_ good with dying if this goes wrong, right?”

 

Kiba rolled his eyes. “You think I wouldn’t have spoken up if I  _ wasn’t  _ prepared to die?” He patted Akamaru’s head. 

 

“Just checking,”

 

“Hey, Shikamaru?”

 

“Mm?”

 

“Do you like her like I do? I mean like... Do you really like her?”

 

Shikamaru looked over at him. His face was calculating and his eyebrows twitched downward. “I like her more than you do, Kiba. But it doesn’t matter. Not really. One, we’re just kids. There’s no use in chasing what’ll do you no good. Nobody stays with the first person they date. Two, she’s so far up Sasuke’s ass she could talk through his mouth. Even if she weren’t, let’s face it, she’d probably still be all over Sakura- like she was back in the academy,”

 

“Are you just saying that to discourage me?”

 

Shikamaru shrugged. “You can’t force a relationship with someone who doesn’t want one,” He glanced at Kiba again, “And romance isn’t the only thing on the planet. I’m happy just being her friend. If that’s all I’ll ever get, that’s okay. Not _ideal._ But Okay,”

 

“And you think you like her as much as I do? With that attitude?”

 

Shikamaru glared at him. “Like I said. I like her  _ more  _ than you do,”

 

“If we survive this, we’re continuing this conversation,” Kiba snapped, “But right now, you need to tell me what we’re going to do,”

 

Shikamaru scoffed, but after a moment, he responded. “Go for the freak with two heads, Keep him preoccupied as well as you can. I’ll keep the girl busy. They’ll order Sasuke to move on without them and then I’ll freeze them both, and we can draw back while Naru’s clone’s get things ready to blow,”

 

Kiba nodded, but didn’t want to say anything else to Shikamaru. He was feeling oddly defensive, but it was probably just due to the fact that someone other than him liked his (frankly, very strange) crush. 

 

When they finally engaged, it went perfectly to plan. The woman (apparently called Tayuya) had ordered Sasuke on, but Sasuke had refused. A mark spread up to his jawline, and he was making like he wanted to start fighting Shikamaru, his face set like stone as he glowered in that Uchiha way. But Shikamaru was unphased. They knew the bombs were placed, and Shikamaru seemed ready to improvise. He’d subtly gestured Kiba onward, and He and Akamaru were keeping up a barrage that had the remaining man (Sakon, as Tayuya called him) shell shocked. 

 

Everything was going according to plan, or at least it was under control.

 

Until a man, all pale skin and hair, with two dark red marks just above where his eyebrows should have been, perched on a branch above them all and spoke calmly.

 

“You should be ashamed of yourselves. The sound four, reduced and held back by mere children. You. The dark one,” The man said, turning to Sasuke, who seemed cowed by this new arrival, “Come with me. And you. Tayuya, Sakon, Ukon. Die here, or face me later. Your choice,”

 

The man fled. Sasuke followed. Tayuya and Sakon seemed panicked, and began fighting harder than before. Shikamaru looked downward, and sighed. 

 

“What a drag. Naru! Let’s kick it!” He shouted, leaping back. Kiba leapt back too, but Sakon leaped forward, grappling with him in mid air and drawing him close.

 

A flash. Kiba’s sensitive ears were ringing. He and his opponent were crashing through branches, then falling. Falling. Falling.

 

The ground struck Kiba, all breath left him. His vision swam. Akamaru was tucked into his hoodie, safe. Safe. He tried to draw air into his lungs, but they rejected it. He struggled, kicking one leg out, spraying damp pebbles out from his prone form. He could hear scraping, Sakon? Possibly? But maybe just his mind, scrabbling, paranoid. Air. He needed more air. Gasping. Struggling. Were his ribs broken? Probably. 

 

He pulled Akamaru out from his hoodie and set him down beside himself. The puppy immediately began barking. Kiba shook his head, trying to ground himself. He looked up, and swaying, was Sakon, on three legs. He blinked.  _ I’m seeing things. _ No, Sakon was standing, clutching his head in his hands and leaning sharply to the left on _three legs_ , groaning. 

 

“Fuck,” Kiba hissed, struggling to his hands and knees, almost toppling to the ground again as he did.

 

_ It’s a game of who recovers first now. It has to be me. It has to. _

 

Akamaru turned and bit him, burying his teeth deep into Kiba’s arm and snarling. Kiba looked down at the place, and his whole world slung back into focus. He pulled his hand away and stood on unsteady feet. 

 

“Okay, Akamaru, lets fuck shit up,”

 

Akamaru barked. 

 

“Man-beast Clone!” He shouted, getting down onto all fours and snarling at Sakon, still using his third leg as a crutch. He and Akamaru rocketed forward and slammed onto him, knocking him over. A mark, like Sasuke’s, spread over his features, and his eyes focused up at them. Kiba snarled again as he landed.

 

“Rude, really, to attack an opponent when he’s down, don’t you think?” Sakon sneered, getting to two of his feet as the third retreated into his form. Kiba rolled his shoulders.  _ Speaking gives it away. _

 

Sakon leapt at Akamaru, but Kiba sprung at his back, moving to strike him hard in the back of the neck, but an arm shot out and blocked him as Akamaru struggled to block the strike that came at him from Sakon’s other two arms.

  
“Oh, you don’t have a two on one advantage, if that’s what you thought,” Sakon said. His second head raised, and smiled mockingly at Kiba. “This is a  _ more than even _ match,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kiba: Belt Loops, The Films
> 
> Shikamaru: Up To No Good, The Hoosiers
> 
> Naru: Die A Little, Silent Rivals (i think i did this one already but eat it. it's a good ass song)
> 
> bonus!: Sasuke: I Was Just Kid, Nothing But Thieves


	89. Naru, And The Snapchat Filter Lookin Guy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru fights someone she doesn't wanna fight to get to someone she really wants to fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also my firstborn son appears and I Love Him

Naru was flanked by a few remaining clones, following Sasuke and the newcomer closely. She was holding back vomit. Her other clones were dissolved in the blast, and the last thing some of them had seen was Kiba falling into a ravine with that Sakon guy, and Shikamaru retreating out of sight, pursued by Tayuya. 

 

Everything had gone to shit and it was this _new guy_ ’s fault. Rage and demonic chakra bubbled up from her stomach. Her clones flinched, but her eyes were fixed ahead. They hit a clearing, and Naru burst out, skidding to a halt a few feet in front of the stranger, on all fours. The man was standing calmly in front of Sasuke, who was looking a little alarmed. Naru snarled. 

 

“Who the fuck are you?” She growled, her voice doing something strange in her throat. The man tilted his head.

 

“I am Kimimaro. And what, exactly, are you?”

 

“Your worst nightmare,” She growled. Sasuke took a step back as her clones disappeared, and she slowly stood on two feet. Kimimaro narrowed his eyes at her for a second before turning over his shoulder to address Sasuke.

 

“You’re already late for Orochimaru-sama. Go. I’ll take care of this trash,” He said coldly. Sasuke paused, hovering for a brief moment. 

 

“Are you going to kill her?” He asked. Naru bristled.  _ Oh, all of a sudden you care? _

 

Kimimaro glared at Sasuke. “Go. Now,” he half-whispered, a threat low in his voice. Sasuke hesitated again, and Naru snarled.

 

“Let’s get this over with,” She rushed at the stranger, and he grew spikes of bone out of his hands. She dodged his attack, flattening herself to the ground and sweeping her leg at his knees. He easily leapt out of the way, and she drew a pair of Kunai, springing to her feet and uprooting large chunks of soft turf underfoot as she lunged at him again. The clearing was filled with the sound of her knives clashing against the bones growing out of the man’s hands. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sasuke start running again. She turned to call out to him, but took a bone spike to the arm as a result. She fell back, clutching the wound.

 

“You  _ really _ aren’t skilled enough to divide your attention. Orochimaru-sama’s next vessel is now safely on his way, and I will be useful to him one last time in destroying you, the last little leaf who stands in the way,”

 

Naru glared up at him. “Orochimaru’s… what? Are you talking about Sasuke-kun?”

 

Kimimaro elongated one of his bone spikes, looking at it, then positioning it over her heart. “Yes. He will be the next body Orochimaru-sama will occupy, in order to further his great plans,”

 

“Are you saying Sasuke-kun is just… marching to his own death here? That idiot!” She snapped. Kimimaro tilted his head.

 

“He is sacrificing himself for Orochimaru-sama, a task that I had wished to complete, myself, with my entire soul. But alas, my body is no longer of any use to him, and I will sacrifice myself for him  _ here _ instead, bringing him my replacement. In a way... so will you,” He moved to run her through, but she snapped her hands together and summoned a clone, who grasped the bone spike and hurled Kimimaro away from them. He landed gracefully several yards away, and considered her again. Naru’s clone yanked her back to her feet and she began building up her chakra, holding her hands together and summoning as many clones as she could. She was close to empty, almost out of her own chakra. If she wasn’t careful, she might lose control.  _ I can’t help myself with Kurama’s energy. It’s just too tempting to misuse. _

 

“That’s stupid. You’re stupid. And it’s not gonna work anyway, I’m gonna get Sasuke-kun back,” she shouted as around two hundred clones erupted around them. Kimimaro looked around, an expression of mild surprise on his face. 

 

“Well, this is unexpected-”

 

“Can we skip the surprise at me being competent? This bit gets old,” One of her clones spat, whipping a knife at him. He deflected it and almost smiled. 

 

“If you’re really that eager to _die_ , then who am I to deny you?” he said, slashing away at her clones as they lunged at him. All of them failed to get a hit in.

 

“You said your name was Kimimaro,” Another clone sneered before he slashed her. Naru drew back, pacing around the outside of the circle whenever she could tell that he couldn’t see her. She considered making a break for it, chasing Sasuke and leaving _this guy_ to her clones. But he’d probably defeat them all, from the way he was burning through them now, _and then_ he’d just chase her down again, and she’d have to face him without the advantage of even ground. She could tell he was much more capable of navigating the forest than she was, every twitch of his muscles and mutant bones was perfect and intentional. He fought like a man with no purpose other than to kill.

 

She didn’t have time for this. She didn’t have time to deal with an enemy of this skill level- especially not now she knew Orochimaru was planning on hijacking Sasuke’s body like a cheap puppet.  _ Not to mention the implications of that asshole getting the use of his arms back. Not his arms. Sasuke’s arms. Stupid sleeves and all. And Sasuke would be gone. All gone. The idea of his body walking around without him in it… _

 

She felt rage break over her, and her skin was on fire. Her clones all flinched as Kurama's energy erupted out of her, and Kimimaro looked straight at her, the only version without a pained look on her face. He pulled a bone from his shoulder, revealing a long sword. She wasn’t really in control as she started forward, pulling out knives, moving to strike…

 

He was knocked back by a green and orange blur. Naru blinked, halting, feeling her rage subside as she looked up at the person had either saved her or stopped her from ending Kimimaro's.  _ I really wanted to stab this washed out lunatic. _

 

Rock Lee was standing in front of her, glaring forward, his back toward her despite the way the air was whipping around, and the crackling heat engulfing her and parching the grass underfoot.  _ He trusts me so much… _

 

Her anger faded completely, and the air stilled and cooled.

 

“Eyebrows? What the hell are you doing here?”

 

Lee glanced over his shoulder at her and flashed her a smile. “I suspected that I might be of some use on this mission, Naru-chan!”

 

“But… your injuries!” Naru said, stepping forward. Lee shook his head.

 

“Do not worry about me, Naru-chan! Go, get Sasuke-san back!” He held out his hand, giving her a thumbs up. “You made a promise to Sakura-san. I saw it. Go fulfill that promise you made to her!”

 

“Right!” Naru said, turning, “And hey, Eyebrows?”

 

“Yes, Naru-chan?” He asked, still staring down Kimimaro. Naru grinned.

 

“Don’t hold back on this guy, he’s tough stuff,”

 

“I will not hold back! Now go!”

 

And she did, taking off into the forest and leaving yet another friend to an unsure fate. Ahead, she could feel Sasuke. Close. Closer than ever.

 

_ I’m gonna kick his ass for doing this to us. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Heavy Metal And Reflective, Azealia Banks
> 
> Kimimaro: Shook Ones, pt. II, Mobb Deep
> 
> Sasuke: Just say 'fuck this noise' quietly to yourself then go jog your feelings away
> 
> Lee: Welcome To The Jungle, Guns N Roses


	90. Kiba, It's Kill And Be Killed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiba goes hard or he goes the fuck HOME

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Mini chapter for poor Kibbles. Sorry ladies and other options, i'm tryna get this cosplay done for saturday and this gourd is a BITCH to get perfect

Kiba was reeling, having just avoided yet another three armed punch. He and Akamaru slid back. Sakon turned to face him. 

 

“Not so cocky now, are you?” He sneered. Kiba snarled. 

 

“I’d be more worried if I were you,” He said, as Akamaru leaped up onto his back, "but I'd never wear that stupid goddamn tunic, so I guess you just make shit choices," he performed his two headed wolf jutsu. They towered over him, and Kiba brought one paw up onto a rock and crushed it to pieces. Sakon and Ukon seemed taken aback, gaping up at them as they snarled. 

 

Kiba and Akamaru struck, hard, sending him flying back in two halves. For a heartbeat, Kiba thought they’d beaten him. But then he grew new limbs from each half and changed. When the two halves got up, Kiba and Akamaru moved to hit them again, but they erected a massive wall just in front of them. There was no time to stop. They struck it head on, and Kiba's body was filled with yet more shockwaves. Vision swimming, he heard them rush to attack, and he felt Akamaru pull away-

 

“Ah! The damn dog pissed on me again! It burns!” One of the brothers screamed. He could hear them talking, and as Kiba rolled over, he saw Akamaru, lying, unconscious on the ground feet away from him.

 

He moved to help the puppy, but felt… Something was wrong. He sat up, and turned, meeting eye to eye with...

 

A demonic face was growing out of his own shoulder, grinning wickedly at him. Kiba froze, terror coursing through his body. He moved to slit the man’s throat, but an arm shot out of his chest and gripped his wrist.

 

“No use, anything you do to me happens to you too, and I can start shutting down your organs, if I want,”

 

Kiba turned the knife around and drove it into his side. The sound ninja screamed. Kiba yanked out the knife and turned to him, moving the knife to a more deadly location.

 

“Are you crazy?” The ninja shrieked, staring Kiba in the face in disbelief. Kiba grinned. 

 

“Yeah, I sure as shit am,” He said, driving the knife into his stomach and feeling the enemy leave his body, just moments too late. Kiba pulled the knife out again and doubled over. He was in agony, pain was consuming his every thought. 

 

_ I have to get out of here.  _

 

He looked behind him. The twin who’d decided to play stowaway in his back was on the ground, clutching his side and his stomach, moaning in agony and rolling in the mud. The other twin had his face in the river, trying to wash his eyes. Kiba lurched forward and grabbed Akamaru, tucking him into his hoodie. He turned back, staggering to the twin who he’d stabbed, and kneeled at his side. He put his hand over his mouth.

 

“It really woulda been a good idea to learn how to take a hit,” He hissed, and then he slit the man’s throat. Blood rushed out over his hand and pooled at his knees, mixing with the mud and rocks. 

 

He got up, leaving the man’s body on the ground and climbed as silently as he could into the river. He couldn’t possibly take on the other twin now, not with the injuries he had sustained. There was no chance he’d win, and on top of everything, he had to look after Akamaru. He frowned.

 

_ I thought I’d be alright with dying. I thought I’d be ready. But I can’t die. I can’t risk it. Akamaru needs me. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kiba: Bring The Ruckus, Wu-Tang Clan


	91. Naru, So He Won't Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru tries to talk sense into a boy. A boy tries to warn her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mini chapterrrrrrrrrrrr I'm so sorry guys these are wimpy but I'd rather post a short chapter that i don't hate than a long one that sucks [redacted]

She was exhausted. Night was falling. The way the sunset was filtering through the trees made it even harder to see ahead. But then she saw it. That red fan, on blue, yards and yards ahead. Just barely. Just barely.

 

She sped up, as much as she could. Her breath caught in her chest, she felt her muscles protest. Her eyes weren’t working right. Her human chakra was gone. Completely gone. She was running on fumes, and all the while, just below the surface, sat Kurama. He was waiting. She could feel it. She could practically see his grinning face when she closed her eyes and he was there, behind her eyelids, laughing. But she was so close... and if she could just _talk_ to Sasuke, she knew that he’d listen. She knew he’d come back if she could just tell him what he was really doing. He wouldn’t hurt her. Not really. Sure, they threw punches, like friends do, and he knew she could take it. She was a soldier, not a civilian. But he’d never try to cause her real pain. There was no way. 

 

They burst out of the forest, the last dregs of sunlight fading as they stood on the heads of the founding fathers of the leaf. Sasuke had his back to her, and she called out to him.

 

“Sasuke-kun!” She screamed, rushing to the edge. He froze. Breath caught in her throat. She struggled for a moment. “Sasuke-kun, look at me for fuck’s sake!” She screamed again, her voice breaking. Sasuke turned. His Sharingan activated, and his face stony save the twitching under his left eye.

 

“Why did you follow me? I wasn’t gonna do it. But now you’re here and I… Why did you have to follow me?” He snapped. She wiped her eyes. She hadn’t realised she was crying until she felt the stupid eyeliner stinging her eyes.

 

“Because you’re my best friend in the world, Teme! Come home!”

 

“The leaf isn’t my home any more, Naru!” He yelled back, his voice breaking. He looked so angry, so furious. “I’m too weak. I can’t ever kill him if I don’t get stronger, now!”

 

“Sasuke, we can kill him together! We can kill Itachi as a team! He’s after me, you know he’s after me! I don’t know why, but he is and you  _ know _ if you stay with me, even if it’s just so you’ll meet up with him some day-” She swallowed, a feeling like a boa constrictor squeezing her lungs and heart created an inescapable tightness in her chest, crushing her, making her sound breathy and desperate as she cried out to her friend, “Someday you’ll meet up with him again and-”

 

“And what good will that do me, Naru? What good will that do me when I’m stagnant? I’m done with the leaf. It’s done me no favours. I’m no stronger than I was months ago, and neither is anyone else. Anyone else besides you,”

 

“You don’t get stronger in a couple months, Sasuke, you dumb asshole! It takes ages to get stronger-”

 

“You do!” Sasuke bellowed, so loud Naru felt cowed. The sun fell beneath the horizon, and the only light in the valley was coming from the stars, the moon, and the hundreds of fireflies flying through the trees and along the shores. Naru blinked at Sasuke, who was panting. Breathless. His voice was so faint when he spoke again that she had to strain to hear him. “You do. And I can’t compete. You’re leaving me in the dust, and I just can’t let that happen. I can’t kill Itachi if I’m weak… And I can’t keep you safe. How can I save you if you’re stronger than I am? I can’t stand being second fiddle to you, Naru. I can’t take it one more moment,”

 

“Sasuke…” She whispered. His eyes snapped up, and he was suddenly glaring at her. 

 

“And now, I don’t have a choice,” He growled, all tenderness gone. She stepped back and clenched her fists, “You gave me no choice, Naru, and… I’m sorry,”

 

“Sorry for what?” She asked, her voice steady, but hoarse. Sasuke began making hand signs she couldn’t really see in the darkness. 

 

“Sorry for _this_ ,” He growled. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: So He Won't Break, The Black Keys
> 
> Sasuke: Things Aint Like They Used To Be, The Black Keys
> 
> other songs: Your Guardian Angel, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. (thanks nomothematic) Stay With Me, You Me At Six.
> 
> (My dumb ass breaking my own dumb stupid heart writing this fic: Oceans and Streams, The Black Keys)


	92. Shikamaru, And The Good Timing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shikamaru gets his ass saved by a girl.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I have a twitter for this AO3 now so if you want to HMU I'll follow you back it's @paperprincess10 thanks @nomo for giving me the idea ily and i love all my readers you guys are the nicest

Shikamaru was watching Tayuya’s every move. He was memorising her finger positions. He couldn’t tell one musical note from another, in fact, he had to read lips half the time when people were talking to him. Well, when everyone but Naru was talking to him.  _ Crazy little shouter _ . His hearing troubles actually came in handy a lot of the time, his ears ran interference on distractions while he focused. But here, the fact he was hard of hearing was kicking him directly in the ass.

 

Tayuya was getting frustrated, he could tell. She was obviously even more short tempered than Ino and Sakura. He almost felt bad for her teammates- before he remembered that they’d all tried their best to murder his own. he sent a kunai through the trees, and a trunk with a small thud. Tayuya sent her summons to investigate. Shikamaru shifted.

 

_ Okay, so that’s how she moves them… now all I need to figure out is her attacks and how she defends herself. Best for last, as usual. _

 

He threw a knife at her and broke a twig with his free hand. She whipped around, and he saw her fingers fly along the flute. First, one of her summons came to her aid, blocking the kunai, then the two other summons attacked the place where he’d been seconds before. He smiled. 

 

_ Gotcha. _   
  


He planted paper bombs all along the tree he was in, enough to blow the whole thing out of existence, along with anyone remotely close by. He also lodged a few shuriken between them, just for the hell of it, angling them so that they’d blast out, away from where he was planning on moving. Trajectory was easy enough to calculate in his head. He counted to three, took a deep breath, then snapped another twig. 

 

He silently escaped toward Tayuya as she sent two of her three summons to investigate, keeping one close to her. She wasn’t stupid, that was for sure. But still, she’d fallen for it. He blew her summons to hell, shuriken flying everywhere but where he sat. Tayuya’s remaining summon took the shrapnel for her, but they tore through it, and it crumpled to the ground, useless. Shikamaru smiled as she swore and looked around her, suddenly alone. 

 

He walked out into the open and narrowed his eyes at her. She had another move. She had to. She didn’t get this far because she was a pushover. He threw a knife at her feet. She grinned at him. Handsigns, too quick to read- and then the whole world began melting.  _ Genjutsu. _

 

He couldn’t perform a release, because his arms were being forced apart. There was only one way to break the Jutsu then. He used his shadow strangle to snap his fore finger. Tayuya grabbed the knife and leapt over, getting close, gloating in his face. 

 

_ Sloppy. All these sound guys are so god damn sloppy.  _

 

He possessed her just as she moved to kill him. He could see the fear in her face as he stood and dusted himself off calmly. He smiled. He moved to crush her, but she transformed. Horns sprouted from her head and her skin changed colour. He strained harder, desperately trying to kill her. She was just too strong. He wished he had Naru with him. She was good in these kinds of situations. Always keen to punch someone. Always good to take a hit. Not that he ever wanted her to... But she was off, chasing Sasuke, the one she’d chosen above any of them. 

 

Sasuke was who she wanted, and Shikamaru had no option but to accept it. And Naru wasn’t even here to thrash the person who he couldn’t finish the job on.  _ I mean, at the end of the day, is it a bad thing? This way I won’t ever have to see them happy together. I won’t ever have to deal with the rejection.  _

 

But just as he ran out of chakra, and he closed his eyes, ready to die, there was a crash, a scream, and a gust of wind that knocked him back.

 

“Giving up that easy, you lazy little shit?” A voice drawled, as feet landed firmly by his head. He looked up to see the girl he faced in the exams, Temari, with the blonde hair, grinning down at him.

 

“Outta chakra. Why are you here?”

 

“Same old excuses. Careful, or I’ll get it into my head that you just can’t last. And don’t worry, I didn’t come back just to save you. I’m under orders,” She looked up at Tayuya, who was kneeling and glaring at Temari. “And who are you, ugly?”

 

_ Like Naru… But just… More normal. _ Shikamaru blinked up at her, then got to his feet.

 

“Good timing,” He admitted. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and flashed him another crooked, cocky grin.

 

“Only the best,” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shikamaru: Pretty Vacant, Sex Pistols (I got called Sid Vicious Today so that's what you lot get)
> 
> Temari: Shame On You, Bang Bang Romeo


	93. Naru, What Doesn't Kill You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru lets her guard down during a fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)) I love you guys but I'm not sorry this is dragging on

Naru flattened herself backward to avoid the phoenix flower flying at her, the light of the fire was blinding in the now darkness. She looked up at Sasuke, who was signing again.  _ If I fight, it’ll be on Kurama’s chakra. And I could hurt him really, really badly. _

 

“Sasuke, come home,” She said again, frowning, falling back a little, “Or I’ll _take_ you home on a stretcher,”

 

“You couldn’t even if you wanted to, Naru,” Sasuke snapped, blasting a fireball the size of a damn building at her. She used Chakra to run down the side of the statue, “And even if you could,” He bellowed after her, turning, “The leaf isn’t my home anymore,”

 

“So all these years were for nothing? You just don’t care at all?” she snarled up at him from the first Hokage’s arm. Sasuke looked down at her.

 

“No,” Sasuke said blankly, “Of course I care. This is tearing me apart, but it doesn’t outweigh what needs to happen now,” He dropped to her level on his statue, and she leapt over to him.  _ One ditch attempt to fight him with what I’ve got. Then…  _

 

“Sasuke-“ She said, throwing punches. He dodged them and caught her ankle when she went to roundhouse him. She twisted in his grip, kicking him squarely in the side of the head as they both went toppling off the statue and into the water below. Naru grabbed him in the water and dragged him up with her, holding him tightly.

 

“My family is dead!” He yelled in her face.

 

“Mine too! But guess what? We’re your family now!”

 

“You couldn’t _ever_ understand what this feels like, Naru! You _never_ had a family! This is happening because I lost _everything_ , not because I’m alone! How could you ever know-“ He drew back his fist and punched her in the face, her head snapping to the side. She shook it but didn’t let go of her grip on Sasuke’s shirt as they stood on the water’s surface.

 

“I have you!” She said, spitting out the blood in her mouth. 

 

“Let go!” He shouted, grabbing her wrists. She just tightened her grip.

 

“I have Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-Sensei and the dirty old man, I have Sakura-chan and I have you. You’re my family now, and I’m not going to let you go because... I never had this before, you’re right- but I have you now and I’m _never_ letting go!”

 

“He told me to kill you…” Sasuke whispered. Naru didn’t realise she’d just been talking to his chest until her eyes snapped up to his face. He was crying. “Let go Naru, don’t make me do it,”

 

She tensed up, but smiled at him. “Sasuke… You  _ can’t  _ kill me. Even if you tried. I’ll bring you home… and I’d rather die here than say I gave up when I had you in my hands,” 

 

“You don’t,” He whispered, reaching up and touching her bare shoulders- He’d bandaged them, months ago, before all of this happened. She could feel the memory as his hands brushed along her skin. “You’re just holding my shirt,” He slipped out of it easily and slid back on the water’s surface. She looked down at the shirt in her hands, and up at Sasuke standing there, shirtless with that black mark spreading over his neck and chest, down his shoulder. She snarled.

 

“You couldn’t just listen to reason, could you?” She said, feeling the dam of her willpower break. He smirked.

 

“One more time, for old time’s sake,” He said with a grin. She crouched. 

 

Then she was on him. One punch. Two. He dodged them at first, but then she connected. The thudding of her fists hitting him was sickening, but then he grabbed her wrists and flung her overhead, into the cliff face behind him. she twisted in midair and landed on it, Snarling down at him.

 

“Let’s finally see who’s really stronger,” Sasuke said, rolling his shoulders and looking up at her. She caused a crater to form in the rock as she launched off of it at him and full body tackled him, where they skipped across the water's surface. Once, Twice...

 

Sasuke punched her, his fists landing on her ribs. She took the hits and shoved him under the surface of the water, keeling over him as she held him down. He struggled for a moment, but then he planted his feet on the surface from the underside of the water and pulled her under. She summoned clones and they linked, hands to ankles, and launched the pair of them out of the water. They slammed him into a wall, and he blasted them with a fire ball. The clones all disappeared, and all that was left was Naru, grasping at superheated rock, holes burned in her clothes, her hair smoking. She gasped, the heat making her skin feel too tight, and looked up at Sasuke, who had a panicked expression on his face as he looked at her. 

 

“Sasuke…” she gasped, all the air gone from he lungs, fire having sucked the very breath from her. He shook his head frantically. 

 

“It’s too late…” He said, “It’s too late!” He lurched forward and grabbed her, turning her, pinning her to him as he leapt down and brought her head first into the ground with the weight of two people. She felt her neck break, and then it was dark.

 

_ “ _ **_WHAT DID YOU DO, BRAT?”_ **

 

“I just got us killed, obviously,” She snapped, leaping up from the couch she had appeared on. Kurama was lying, his forelegs crossed and a stern look on his face.

 

“ **_HOW, I AM ASKING HOW , EXACTLY, YOU MANAGED TO DO THAT WITH ALL THE POWER THAT I SUPPLY YOU WITH, KIT?”_ **

 

_ Naru scowled and looked away from the demon. “I… I let my guard down,” she hissed, “I put myself in a dumb situation and... I held back on an enemy,” _

 

_ “ _ **_WHY DID YOU HOLD BACK ON THE UCHIHA, CHILD? HE HAS BEEN TRYING TO FIGHT YOU FOR WEEKS, YOU KNEW HE'D TAKE THIS FIGHT SERIOUSLY,”_ **

 

**_“_ ** _ Because he’s my friend!” Naru snapped, glaring at him. Kurama snorted derisively. _

 

_ “ _ **_MEN HAVE NO FRIENDS. IS THIS NOT PROOF ENOUGH FOR YOU? YOUR CHILDHOOD 'BEST FRIEND' AND TEAMMATE JUST SNAPPED YOUR NECK AND DIDN’T THINK TWICE. JOIN ME AND DESTROY MANKIND, KIT,”_ **

 

**_“_ ** _ No,” She walked forward, conjuring the contract they’d both signed and adding an addendum, “But how about you join me and we kill the people who're really behind what’s happening out there?” She said, stone faced. “Particularly, Orochimaru. I’m going to kill him for this. And I’m going to get Sasuke back. And you, Kurama... Are you in?” _

 

_ “ _ **_IF THAT’S WHAT YOU DESIRE, AND THESE,”_ ** _ he looked over the new clause in the contract, “ _ **_ARE YOUR TERMS… THEN YES, I WILL GIVE YOU EVEN MORE POWER, BUT KIT, BE WARNED-“_ **

 

_ “What now?” Naru snapped, glaring at him. He grinned. _

 

_ “ _ **_YOUR BODY ISN’T MADE TO HOLD THIS KIND OF ENERGY. IT WILL DAMAGE YOU FASTER THAN I CAN HEAL YOU,”_ **

 

_ Naru bit her finger and signed the contract, staring him down. He placed a paw on the paper and smiled. Naru was blasted flat on her back by the rush of chakra that slammed into her like a wall. _

 

Naru’s neck cracked back up into place and she followed the motion until she was sitting, staring at where Sasuke was on his hands an knees, dry heaving. She stared at him for a moment before rolling her shoulders and getting to her feet.

 

“Sasuke. Did you really just try to kill me?” She asked, her voice calm. He whipped around and stared up at her. She yanked him to his feet and slammed him hard into the wall. 

 

“What? How-“

 

“You can’t kill me,” She snarled in his face. She moved to punch him again and he caught her fist in both hands. His elbows slammed back into the wall with a loud crack, and he winced.

 

“I just did! I broke your neck!” He snapped, glaring at her. The ground broke under their feet as she felt the Kyuubi’s power rush up yet again in her. 

 

“Obviously not, Teme,” She said, grabbing him by the neck and hoisting him into the air. He grasped at her wrist, kicking out at her, but she just whipped him across the lake. She leapt off, shattering the ground completely now and catching him in mid air, slamming him into the other cliff face and then whipping him into the ground, landing over him.  _Is my face smiling, or am I baring my teeth?_

She threw punches that he barely dodged and a kick that she realised afterward probably could have killed him if he hadnt managed to duck it. She was losing control, moving on all fours now, getting faster and faster. He landed a few punches but they did nothing. Her skin was starting to burn. He was standing in front of her, fists clenched in front of his face, he looked worried as she stood. She kicked him with a flat foot square in the chest. He was blasted backward and lay flat on his back, gasping for air. She trod forward, grabbed an ankle, and went to whip him into the wall again, but he shot forward and grabbed her forearm. He caught her other fist and stopped it before it hit him and head butted her with all his strength. She staggered and he landed nimbly in two feet again. He blinked, and she looked up to see that his sharingan had changed. He was looking at her, bewildered, and resumed his defensive position. She sprinted in to tackle him but he just stooped and threw her over his head. She twisted and landed on all fours and shot at him again, but they locked.

 

Their faces inches away from each other, they paused. There were definitely tears in her eyes, because there were tears in his. He grabbed her head and and slammed in down into his knee. She wrapped her arms around his leg and yanked upward, slamming him back. He grunted but planted his foot on her stomach and kicked out hard, knocking her back and letting him leap to his feet. He grabbed her arm and flung her around, slamming her into the ground, more cracks appearing in the ground as she struck. She whipped him overhead, slamming him headfirst into the floor even harder, chunks of rock flying everywhere as the momentum flung her up into the wall. She planted a hand and turned with it, so she was face down stuck on the wall, watching Sasuke.  _ Did I just kill my best friend? _

 

But he groaned, and she stiffened.  _ Still alive then, fucker? _

 

He struggled up, and she slowly crawled further down the wall toward him. He shook his head experimentally, and she halted. He turned to face her, the black marks across his neck and chest growing out, over part of his face and occupying more of his body. His expression was pained- though there was no way to tell if it was from what she’d done, or the curse. 

 

“Come on, Naru,” He said, posing to fight yet again, “Let’s finish this,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Vicious, Halestorm
> 
> Sasuke: Fire It Up, Thousand Foot Krutch
> 
> Kurama: Jekyll And Hyde, Five Finger Death Punch


	94. Lee, Fighting With Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee gets back on the horse and shakes someone's hand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The drunken fist thing cheapened Lee's return and I didn't like it so there.

Lee was flat on the ground, a sword swinging down towards him. He caught it in between his hands.

 

“Wait!” He said, “Please, sir, I offer my sincerest apologies, but I am afraid I have to take my medicine at a very particular time, and it seems I must call a halt to this battle in order to do so,” He bowed his head, “Once again, I apologise most profusely!”

 

The sound nin blinked, but lowered his sword. “What difference does it make if I’m going to kill you?”

 

“You should know as a fellow Shinobi that no outcome is a guaranteed!”

 

“Fair enough,” 

 

Lee uncapped the bottle and chugged the liquid inside of it, shuddering at the taste. “Pardon me, I am afraid I have trouble with the taste, if I could have another moment, please,” He paused, holding his hand to his mouth and furrowing his brow. Kimimaro looked exasperated, but allowed him a moment to get a handle on himself.

 

He grimaced, but slid out from under the sword and shook his limbs, jogging a little on the spot. He nodded at Kimimaro again. “I thank you for being so considerate. Now, are you prepared to fight again?” Kimimaro squinted at him.

 

“How weak were you feeling before you took that medicine of yours?” Kimimaro asked, bracing himself. Lee struck his defensive pose and smiled a little.

 

“I feel much better now, thank you,” 

 

“I wasn’t- you know what,” Kimimaro shook his head, “Just… brace yourself,” He moved toward him, swinging his sword down at Lee, who leapt straight into the air and seized Kimimaro’s head between his hands. He flipped, pulling Kimimaro off the ground and whipping him over his head and back into the ground. Kimimaro sprouted two bone spikes, which shot through Lee’s hands, but grunted when he hit the ground, causing a small crater where he struck. Lee pulled his hands off the spikes protruding from Kimimaro’s skull and waited for him to struggle to his feet again before setting in, sprinting in a tight circle around the sound ninja and striking him erratically from all angles. Kimimaro grunted with each strike, unable to see where each hit would come from, his tunic and hair whipping around him in the wind that Lee’s speed was producing. 

 

Kimimaro thrust his sword forward, swinging it outward, but Lee flattened himself and slid under it, coming to a halt a few yards away. He leapt back up and winced slightly, but snapped into his defensive position in time for Kimimaro to rush him. He slid sideways, turning, and planted a kick firmly on his back, but Kimimaro span and grasped his foot, yanking him forward, off balance, and moving to cut through him with his sword. Lee barely dodged it, the bone sword sliced through his jumpsuit, just grazing his skin. He grasped at Kimimaro’s outstretched wrist and pulled, then punched him hard in the face, sending his head snapping backward sharply.

 

Lee pushed his advantage, roundhousing Kimimaro in the ribs and knocking him to the side. A look of frustration took over the man’s face. 

 

“You’re stronger than you seemed,” Kimimaro said, the frustration disappearing from his face as quickly as it had come to be, “I suppose I should start to take you seriously,”

 

“You should have been taking me seriously from the beginning,” Lee snapped back, moving to strike again. Kimimaro avoided him, and shot more bone spikes in his direction. They rocketed out of his body like shuriken, unpredictable and almost unavoidable. Almost. Lee dodged nearly all of them, and the ones that did land only just grazed him. He was fast- nearly as fast as he had been before the incident. Just as he was beginning to feel confident, that he could really fight again, a sharp, shooting pain rocked up his spine, unbalancing him and sending him to the ground. Kimimaro was there in a second. swinging down on Lee with his sword. There wasn’t any time. Lee braced for impact-

 

He hadn’t realised he’d closed his eyes until he was opening them again, looking up at the wall of sand that had stopped the sound Ninja’s blade. A low, raspy voice rolled out from behind him.

 

“Are you okay?” 

 

Lee whipped around and stared up at Gaara, standing over him with his hands out, and his eyes fixed ahead of him at the enemy. 

 

“I am better now you are here!” Lee beamed, looking up at the newcomer. “You changed your clothing!”

 

Gaara blinked, surprise flashing across his face for a moment before he settled back into his usual deadpan. “Yes, I did. Get behind me,”

 

Lee got to his feet, staggering slightly. Gaara held out one arm to catch Lee, and moved the taller boy behind himself. “You look good,”

 

“You’re weaker than you were before,” Gaara said, assessing Kimimaro with distaste, “Slower too,” 

 

“Since you are on our side now, I am not ashamed to admit that because of you I have been having a difficult time of it,”

 

“Sorry to hear that,” Gaara moved to crush Kimimaro, but the Sound Ninja avoided the sand.

 

“You have changed more than your clothes then,” Lee said, smiling again, “Why are you here?”

 

“I owe the leaf a debt,” Gaara said, clenching his jaw. Lee could see the muscle twitching in it as he blocked an attack from Kimimaro. Lee could see in Gaara’s pale eyes that his mind was somewhere else.  _ It is not good to divide your attention so much during battle. Gaara should know this. _

 

Kimimaro was impressive. He fought like he had nothing to lose. Lee felt a smile twitch onto his face despite himself. _Almost reminiscent of Naru. Perhaps… a shade more skilled than she is, however._ Gaara was playing a defensive game, as usual. Kimimaro was a fantastic ninja. Incredible talent. Lee winced in pain again, staggering slightly. He almost fell, again, but a pillar of sand rushed up to meet him, pushing him back to his feet.

 

“Don’t worry, this will be over with soon,” Gaara grunted, erecting a massive form of the Sand demon in front of them and glancing over his shoulder at Lee.

 

“I do not think you should be so focussed on me,” Lee gasped, clutching his shoulder, close to his neck.

 

“I’m not,”

 

“You are not even looking at Kimimaro-san,”

 

“Don’t have to,” He grunted, but he turned back and frowned at where the bone spear was drilling through the defensive barrier. Kimimaro made a derisive noise.

 

“You’re all out of sand, You have no more moves to make. Give up now. I will make it quick,” He drawled as the form dissolved, putting him in clear view. Another spear sprouted from the center of his chest and he pulled it from himself, a sickening cracking sound echoing through the clearing. Lee felt a little nauseous, seeing him pull his own sternum out.

 

“I am Gaara of the Desert. Where there is stone, where there is earth, I will  _ make _ sand,” He said, bringing his hands up, as the clearing crumpled underfoot, sand shot under their feet and Lee and Gaara into the air as Kimimaro was swallowed whole into the earth. Gaara grimaced, sweat beading along his brow as he made a crushing motion with his hands. 

 

“You did it!” Lee said. Gaara shook his head. 

 

“How is he still alive?” He snarled, making another crushing motion and frowning deeper. “What is he doing?” 

 

_ Is he… talking to himself? _

 

A massive bone pillar erupted from the center of the crushing, churning sand below them, rocketing skyward, dangerously close to where they were. Gaara had to pull them back to avoid it. And from it emerged Kimimaro, changed, physically.  _Demonic._

 

He emerged, prepared to strike, but then halted, blood spilling out from his mouth and his eyes clouding. Lee looked up at him, frozen and dead. Gaara gasped, the sand beneath them stopped churning, and they slowly lowered to the ground. Lee looked over at him.

 

“You are very skilled, Gaara-san,”

 

Gaara looked over at him. He collapsed, sitting on the ground and sighing. “Haven’t been this drained since the Crush,” 

 

Lee fell down and sat next to the sand nin. “I have not felt this  _ good _ since our fight,”

 

Gaara shot him a slidelong glance. “I… I am sorry to have caused you pain, Lee,”

 

Lee shrugged. “It is in the past, and I forgive you,”

 

He closed his pale eyes and nodded. “I’m going to be honest. I don’t know how to respond,”

 

Lee held out his hand. “We can start with a hand shake if you would like!” Gaara held out his hand, and they shook. Lee smiled. “There! Now we are friends!”

 

The younger boy blinked up at him, surprise on his face again. “Friends?”

 

“Friends.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lee: Immigrant Song, Led Zepplin 
> 
> Gaara: Don't Mess With Me, Brody Dalle
> 
> (I'm so soft I love my boys)


	95. Naru, Obligitory Flashback

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru is still in the thick of it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i’m gonna try to get back to consistent daily updates now MCC is over (I cry) but here’s my formal apology for my flaming inconsistency

Naru brought both fists swinging downward toward Sasuke’s head with all the strength in her body. He rolled away just in time, firing up his chidori and running at her. She snarled and dodged, punching him in the back and sending him into the cliff face. Rocks toppled over the both of them as he pulled himself out of the rock and grappled with her. She punched him in the face, which he shook off as he lifted her off the ground and threw her as hard as he could. She hit the water, skipping across the surface once before sliding to a halt on all fours and growling at him. He cracked his knuckles and strode out onto the water, she met his fist with her own and heard a loud crack as both their knuckles started to bleed. She’d completely lost the ability to speak now, and he was showing no inclination toward talking. 

 

She used her other hand to balance as she wrapped her legs around his torso and brought him down. He landed on the surface of the water and it rippled, absorbing the shock of an impact that probably would have broken bones. She drew her fist back and punched him hard in the face again, then brought her other in on his cheek. Blood sprayed out of his mouth as she tightened her thighs, squeezing the breath out of him and moving to choke him. His face was red, his eyes bulging, and she looked straight into them. 

 

She froze. He was doing something. Not like Itachi, who could expertly pluck your deepest fears from your mind and feed them to you- no, this was a clumsy attempt to mirror something Sasuke had only had used against him. But still, he was stumbling around inside her head and she didn’t have a clue how to kick him out. He broke her grip and shoved her back, maintaining eye contact as he clawed at her brain. She struggled to shake her head, screaming, trying to move, when Kurama reared up. 

 

It was a feeling like someone snatching the reins. Chakra blasted out of her every pore and she felt her skin blister with it. But Sasuke was gone, and then she was back at the helm, staring forward at Sasuke who was looking shocked.

 

“What was that?”

 

Naru just screeched and tackled him again, grasping his upper arms and landing on top of him, her forehead striking his collar bone hard enough that her face started bleeding. Sasuke kicked out at her, but she just yanked his arms, one making the distinct popping noise the dislocation creates. He gasped in pain and she headbutted him, making a sick little splat sound when they connected. His head slammed back, and he sank into the water, leaving her laying on its surface as he swam out of reach and popped his shoulder back into place. She snarled, striking out at the water’s surface and scrambling along as he swam away into the dark, out of sight. He resurfaced yards away and she glared up at him as he sprinted up the cliff face and back toward the waterfall. She followed him, climbing the wall on all fours and ripping him back off of it. She suspended him in the air for a moment, and then she dropped him. He dropped for a moment, but twisted in the air and planted a foot on the wall, using the other to kick Naru hard in the face. Her head snapped back, and she snarled as she fell down into him. He caught her reflexively, then slammed her back into the wall with one arm, pinning her down. Flat on her back, she kicked out at him, but he swatted her foot away and made to stare into her eyes again. She shut them and reached out, her left hand was slapped away, but her right landed on his face. With her eyes shut, hiding the cursemark from her, and her hand planted firmly on his cheek, she almost could have fooled herself into thinking this was just practice. That they were just sparring. That he hadn’t just broken her neck. It was one heartbeat. Two. Then his other fist struck her in the chest. She felt the rock face behind her break, showering them with rubble.

 

_ I have to stop getting caught up, if I wanna bring him home I need to grit my teeth and break some bones. _

 

She opened her eyes, looking down, her hands shooting out, blocking the next punch, slapping it down, catching the second, looking up at his mouth, and watching his gasp as she crushed his hand between her own. She pulled him in, and grabbed his left leg, yanking it upward toward her and moving to snap it too, but he planted his good hand down and slammed his knee into her chest. She pushed out at him and snarled. Naru clawed out of the small crater her body had created in the side of the cliff and faced Sasuke down again. She locked eyes with him, but the second she felt him try to root around in her mind she opened her mouth and screamed, emitting a blast of Kurama’s chakra that felt scorching. Sasuke closed his eyes and shook his head. 

 

“I guess now’s not the time to try to learn a new trick, huh?” He sneered, his hair falling down over his face as he crouched against the wall. Naru slammed one of her hands down hard enough that large cracks appeared from the point of impact. “What’s with you? Cat got your tongue? You never shut up normally,”

 

_ More like fox, but you’ve got the gist of it. _ Naru thought. Her voice wouldn’t do anything but scream right now, she knew better than to try to make it cooperate. It wasn’t going over her head that they were mostly just hitting each other. Mostly just throwing punches. Like they had on kid gloves. 

 

But she didn’t want to hurt him. She didn’t want to do him harm. Her eyes fell on the hand she’d broken. It was the same one she’d deflected with a punch. They had both bled. What was that called? Blood brothers?

 

She looked back up at his face.  _ You’re my blood brother now, Sasuke. And you’ll never escape me. _

 

She thought about the land of waves when they grappled again. She thought about Sakura’s smug face when she got the tree exercise first. She thought about Sasuke and her, competing. Working their way up their trees, seeing how far up they could get. Sasuke laughing when she fell before he did, but toppling down half a second later. 

 

_ They’d been sitting at the tops of their trees, panting, exhausted, she had smiled over at him. “We did it. Wanna head back?” _

 

_ “Sure, I guess, if you’re ready to pack it in,” Sasuke had said, smirking at her, wiping the sweat off his face with his arm guard. She‘d laughed. When they finally reached the bottom, her legs were like jelly. She took a few unsteady steps, stumbling into a tree and chuckling to herself. She’d looked over at her teammate and grinned, squeezing one eye shut.  _

 

_ “Go on ahead, tell them I’ll just be a second,” She’d laughed, shaking out her left leg. Sasuke had rolled his eyes.  _

 

_ “C’mere,” He’d grumbled, pulling her arm over his shoulders and helping her stand, taking off just enough weight that she could walk. She remembered looking up at him, and thinking to herself just exactly how glad she was that they’d been forced onto a team together. That she could call him her comrade. Her friend. _

 

She punched him hard in the stomach and ripped him off the wall, hurling him over her head at the water. He grabbed the strap of her tank top and swung back into the wall, driving his elbow down into her thigh and punching up at her chin. She dodged it and moved to the side where she’d broken his hand, grasping it and twisting his arm up behind his head, using her other arm to rip him off the face of the cliff again and hurling him to the ground. He plummeted, landing with a roll that saved him from breaking more bones and stopping, glaring up at her. She screamed again, wishing she could just say what she hadn’t then- as though it would help. He didn’t care now. 

 

Her heart shattered. He didn’t care about her anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Shake The Ground, Cherri Bomb 
> 
> Sasuke: Take This Now, Cherri Bomb
> 
> (I miss Cherri Bomb. I like hey violet but Cherri Bomb was my /favourite band/ as a teen)


	96. Kiba, Bloodloss and Blushing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiba not only has to endure getting his ass saved by a sand ninja, but he has to get home with one too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Excuse me and my flagrant disregard for canon

Kiba winced. Kankuro frowned down at him, helping him to his feet. 

 

“No, no!” He gasped, clutching at his wounded side and gritting his teeth, “Get Akamaru back first, Send someone back for me when you get there,”

 

“You want me to get the dog back to the village first?” Kankuro asked in disbelief. Kiba nodded, moving to sit back down. 

 

“Yeah, be careful how you hold him, he… he got hurt in the fight…” Kiba hissed. Kankuro shook his head, rolling his eyes. 

 

“You leaf nin… I swear, you’re all crazy,” Kankuro pulled Kiba back up, drawing him in so that they were face to face, gripping his arms and holding him steady, “I’m not gonna leave you here and take your dog home,”

 

“You can’t carry both me and Akamaru home,” Kiba snapped, glaring up at him, his jaw set, “And I’m not leaving him here,”

 

“Well I’m not leaving your stupid ass here to bleed out,” Kankuro retorted. A muscle in Kiba’s jaw twitched. 

 

“You can’t carry us both,” he insisted.

 

“Then you carry him, and I’ll carry you,” Kankuro snapped. 

 

“There’s no way you can hold me so that I can carry him,” Kiba said, glowering up at the older boy. Kankuro grimaced.

 

“There’s one way,”

 

“How? You can’t piggyback me, you can’t throw me over your shoulders, you don’t have a stretcher or a second man to carry the other side anyway,”

 

Kankuro just kept grimacing. “Pick up the damn dog, Wolf Boy,”

 

Kiba froze, and looked up at him. “You’re joking, right?”

 

“Pick. Up. The. Dog,”

 

Kiba picked Akamaru up and pulled him to his chest. Kankuro bent and scooped him up. They both looked away from each other and Kiba felt his face heat up. Kankuro cleared his throat, and when he spoke, his voice seemed lower than before.

 

“Are you okay like this?”

 

“Uh…  _ yes, _ ” He coughed, but then winced as pain shot through him like kunai. “Thanks,” He mumbled as Kankuro began walking him back.

 

“Yeah… no problem…”

 

They both cleared their throats again. Kiba glanced up at Kankuro. He was bright red under his purple face paint. Kiba looked away again, feeling his face go even redder.

 

“So, you know Naruto? The… The blonde girl,”

 

“Her name’s Naru,” He said, “She exclusively goes by Naru,”

 

“Oh, okay, that’s cool. She doesn’t like being named after a fishcake, I guess?”

 

“It’s a sore subject for her,” Kiba said, petting Akamaru. He was bleeding from his side.

 

“You should put pressure on that if you can,” Kankuro suggested. Kiba frowned and extricated his arm, angling it awkwardly against Kankuro’s tensed chest and trying to apply pressure to the wound. Kankuro stopped. “Here,” he set him down and pulled a bandage out of his pocket. He pulled a twig off of it and shook off some sand. He handed it to Kiba, who raised his eyebrows at the older boy.

 

“You should keep these clean, you know,”

 

“Do you want it or not, kid?” He snarled. Kiba just laughed and unravelled it a little. He cut away the dirtiest part and began wrapping himself tightly with it. Kankuro watched awkwardly until he was almost done.

 

“I don’t know if I’ll be able to tie this off tight enough,” He said. Kankuro bit his lips together and nodded.

 

“This is gonna hurt,” He said, leaning forward and pulling the bandage tight. Kiba flinched and his hand shot out, grasping Kankuro’s upper arm and squeezing his bicep as Kankuro tied the bandage off. He was gasping for breath as Kankuro hovered awkwardly over him.

 

“If you’re done copping a feel, we can keep going,” 

 

Kiba felt like his face was on fire as he snatched his hand away. Kankuro chuckled under his breath as he scooped Kiba back up. “Shut up,” Kiba mumbled, looking away from the Sand nin’s face. Kankuro just laughed harder, starting to trudge through the underbrush again.

 

“You Leaf nin are too easy to rile up, Naru’s just the same. It’s almost cute,”

 

“What?”

 

“I said almost, didn’t I?”

 

“Doesn’t make me feel any better about it,” Kiba hissed under his breath. Kankuro just smiled again.

 

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone how easy it is to make you go all red in the face. Though, considering, everyone probably already knows,” Kankuro said, shifting his grip slightly, “I mean, I’m surprised you have blood left to blush considering how much you’ve lost,”

 

Kiba just buried his face into his shoulder and tried his hardest not to bleed to death.  _ Can this get any more mortifying? _

 

“So, Naru… Is she single?”

 

_ Yes. Yes it can. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kiba: Risque, Cute Is What We Aim For
> 
> Kankuro: Alive With The Glory Of Love, Say Anything


	97. Naru, And The Backstabbing Double Rat Bastard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru almost murders her best friend who almost murdered her

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DON'T TRUST A HOE, NEVER TRUST A HOE, DON'T TRUST A- NEVER TRUST A- DON'T TRUST ME

If she looked half as bad as Sasuke did, it was a miracle he could throw a punch. The only thing keeping her going was the thought that it was to save him in the end. She was only hurting him to save him hurt in the long run. And the fact that her body had devolved into a puppet of rage and demonic chakra. Her skin on her hands was mostly gone now. It was incredibly painful, every twitch hurt, but it was all to save Sasuke. It’d all be worth it in the end if she saved him. She’d promised Iruka that she’d save as many people as she could. And how could she live up to that if she couldn’t even save her stupid, selfish best friend from his own crushing ambition.

 

She grasped his waist between her tattered hands and lifted him off the ground. She shoved him under water, following him, dragging him down, watching the water steam off where she’d plummeted into it. Sasuke grabbed her arm with his good hand, and planted a kick on her hip. She just drew him in closer. Her mind flashed back to the land of tea, to Ibara breathing air into her mouth. How hard Naru’d fought to bring him back to the surface that day, and now she was the one dragging him under. The irony was killing her much more effectively than Sasuke. Who was straining against her, holding his good hand to his mouth and sending a jet of boiling water into her face. She let go, and they both swam to the surface. He scrambled back. 

 

“Naru, I really wish this hadn’t come to this, I wish you hadn’t followed me. I’m sorry,”

 

Naru glared at him and screamed again. It was so loud it echoed. Maybe he could hear the agony in it. Maybe he could feel the pain. 

 

Probably not. He brought his crumpled hand to his good arm and glared at her. She brought her hands together and unscrewed them. The rasengan split just as the chidori sparked to life, and they leapt at each other. There was a crash, massive, apocalyptic, and it truly was, because this was the end of their world. One of Naru’s rasengan crashed into Sasuke’s chidori, and her other planted itself firmly into his chest. His eyes got wide, and then the impact of the two jutsu blasted them back away from each other. Naru felt herself crash into the cliff, slamming deep into the stone. More rock fell in front of her, entombing her. She struggled forward, breaking through it, smearing blood everywhere as she fought her way out of the grave she wasn’t prepared to be buried in. 

 

When she finally fell forward, out of the hole, sliding out along the rubble, she caught sight of him. Washed up on the shore, his legs in the water, his ribs obviously shattered, blood pouring out over pale skin, she screamed.

 

“No!” Her vocal chords struggled to work like a human’s again, “No!” Her voice was raw. She staggered over the water, falling over the top of him. “Sasuke! Please don’t be dead! Please!” Most of the words were nothing but useless squeaking, and she shook her head. She grabbed his face, tilting it up toward her, praying to every god she’d ever _heard of_ that Sasuke would be _okay_. His ink black hair was plastered to his face with water, blood, and sweat, but there was no movement there. She brushed it away, bringing his body close to hers and struggling to see him through her tears. “Please, Sasuke, I’m begging you,”

 

She squeezed her eyes shut against reality, the reality of her best friend dead by her hand. She shut out the world, wishing she could hear him one more time. “Say something!”

 

“You never did listen. A ninja strikes when he is least expected,” 

 

Her eyes flew open, just in time to see his own open and glaring at her. His hand was in her weapon’s pouch, and the next thing she knew, there was a knife buried in the back of her neck.

 

**_“AGAIN? AGAIN BRAT? WHAT DID YOU DO?”_ **

 

_ “I thought he was dead!” _

 

_ “ _ **_I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM HIM,”_ ** _ Kurama screamed, holding up the dome of his cage against the pressing darkness. She scrambled toward the window. “ _ **_I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM ANYONE WHOSE ONLY MOTIVATION IS REVENGE!”_ **

 

_ “YOUR ONLY MOTIVATION IS REVENGE!” She bellowed, flattening herself against the cold glass, her back to him, watching darkness edge closer to them.  _

 

_ “ _ **_NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR THIS CONVERSATION,_ ** _ ” The demon growled. _

 

_ “Yeah no kidding, why aren’t you getting us back in the ring right now? Stop slacking!” she snapped, kicking out at the darkness, trying to force it back. The kyuubi growled again. _

 

_ “ _ **_THE KNIFE IS STILL IN YOUR SPINE. I CAN'T HEAL YOU IF THE DAMN THING IS STILL DOING YOU DAMAGE,”_ **

 

_ “So are we going to die for real this time?” She yelped, pushing her hands and legs against the dark, the glass cracking behind her as she was pressed harder against it. Kurama made a noise Naru didn’t recognise. She looked around at him. He was looking at her very strangely. _

 

_ “ _ **_I TOLD YOU NOT TO TRUST THE UCHIHA BOY,”_ **

 

_ “Yeah well hindsight’s 20/20,” She snapped. The glass shattered and she was forced into the Kyuubi’s enclosure. He reached out a hand and held back the crushing wall of blackness that had forced her underfoot, stopping it temporarily. She rushed back to it, trying to help him push it back. Kurama snarled. _

 

_ “ _ **_GET BACK KIT. YOU’LL DO NOTHING BUT BE CONSUMED MORE QUICKLY,”_ ** _ He glowered down at her, one of his tails coming forward and sweeping her into his leg. She watched as the incoming walls of death made her great demon bow, straining under the weight of the impending unknown.  _

 

_ But then it halted. And Kurama pushed it all back. The ground started shaking, and Kurama picked her up and threw her back out of his enclosure, into the observation deck. _

 

_ “Kurama, what’s happening?” _

 

_ “ _ **_THANK WHOEVER THAT IS OUT THERE, KIT. THEY JUST PULLED THE KNIFE OUT OF YOUR BACK,”_ **

 

Her eyes flew open and she moved to scramble up, but a hand planted her firmly to the ground. Her skin had grown back, but her neck was insanely stiff and painful. This only made her more frantic, and she swung her arms out wide, moving to grab ankles or knees or whatever body part she could get her hands on. The first glimmer of early morning had risen her unwelcome head, and in the soft light, she could see that Sasuke had left his headband at her side her hand reached out and grabbed it without her really meaning to. 

 

“Naru, don’t move,” Came Kakashi’s rumbling baritone. She moved to look up at him, but her neck refused to turn. She gasped from the pain of it. “What about ‘don’t move’ was difficult to understand?”

 

“Kakashi-sensei, thank you, really, but you need to go after him, he can’t have gotten far!” She shouted into the dirt, “I did him a lot of damage! You can catch him!”

 

“Naru, you’ve been laying here for hours, Sasuke… Sasuke is gone,” It didn’t escape Naru that Kakashi had abandoned honorifics entirely. “We need to get you back to the hospital,”

 

“No! Go get him!” She said, struggling to get up again. Kakashi picked her up and pulled her over onto his back. As he did, she saw Sasuke’s shirt slip, and fall to the ground. It had been draped over her. Her blood had soaked into the fabric, the white part of the fan had turned to a rusty brown. It really had been hours. She tried to move to grasp it, but her neck hurt like nothing she’d ever felt before. There were definitely spots in her vision. “Kakashi-sensei! Leave me, I’ll be fine, you know I’ll be fine. Please! Go get Sasuke!”

 

“No,” Kakashi said firmly. “He’s gone. He left of his own accord. We’ll have to get him back together, once you’re stronger,”

 

“Kakashi-sensei, I was so close, I almost had him back. If I just hadn’t let my guard down-” she said, swaying, the spots in her vision growing. Kurama was calling her. Her consciousness was slipping again.

 

“Naru, I know. You did fine,” He began to run back to the village, away from where Sasuke was, “and we’ll get him back, just… not today,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Make Me Wanna Die, The Pretty Reckless
> 
> Sasuke: Seven Nation Army, The White Stripes
> 
> (get fucked)


	98. Shikamaru, Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shikamaru is worried

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM SO STUPID. last chapter: Say Something, A Great Big World. i’m so fkng dumb.

Shikamaru was sitting outside of Choji’s operating room, listening to Tsunade shouting at the other medical nin, giving them directions. Then there was quiet. He had gotten up each time someone was recovered and brought back. Kiba was stable, Neji was stable, Rock Lee was hardly even injured.

 

Naru hadn’t even been found yet. She’d obviously gotten further than they had thought she would. He was trying hard to ignore the thrumming panic low in his stomach. He knew she’d be okay. _ She’d pull through no matter what, it’d take a lot more than that porcupine headed prick Sasuke to take her out. Someone could drop a building on Naru Uzumaki and she’d shake off the brick dust and go get some ramen, but that didn’t mean she should have to. It certainly doesn’t mean I have to like it. _ And despite his absolute confidence in her ability to bounce back from anything, he still felt nervous.  _ Maybe she can’t bounce back from  _ him _. Maybe  _ he’s _ her last straw. Maybe a broken heart is all it takes. _

 

He watched the splint on his broken finger bounce with his restless leg. Temari was sitting across from him, her arms and legs crossed, her fan leaning against the bench next to her. He was avoiding her gaze. She put him on edge. She’d never understand what was going on either. Not a chance. His best friend was on a damn operating slab and his second best friend (who he was head over heels in love with) hadn’t even been recovered yet.  _ If this isn’t a troublesome ass situation, I don’t know what is. _

 

Just as Tsunade opened the door and sighed, there was a crash, and yelling down on the main floor.

 

“He’s stable,” She said as Shikamaru leapt to his feet. They all tensed as there was another, louder crash and the sound of glass shattering downstairs. Tsunade closed the door behind her and frowned.

 

“What’s that?”

 

But then they all heard it. “Put that goddamn needle near me again and I’ll rip your nose off your face and feed it to you! I don’t give a damn what you  _ think _ I should do! No! The only thing I need is the god damn Hokage, now where is the old bat?”

 

“Oh, Naru’s back,” Tsunade said calmly, sitting down on the bench that Shikamaru just vacated. There was more crashing and the sound of doors slamming. Shikamaru whipped around just in time to see Naru, her shirt burned, her hair singed, eyeliner smudged so badly she looked like she’d been punched in both eyes, (which, she likely had), covered in blood and mud and wincing like every step was agony, charging up and skidding to a halt in front of the Hokage. For a second, she stood there, chest heaving, glaring down at the Hokage, who was regarding her with a subdued interest. Shikamaru noticed the clean skin in the crook of her elbow where a nurse had likely tried to place an IV.  _ The needle is what woke her, then.  _ He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, Naru collapsed. He moved to rush to her side, gesturing for a medical nin to help him, until he looked down and saw that she was bowed in front of Tsunade.

 

“I’m sorry I failed, Baa-chan! I let my guard down when everything came down to me! It was all my fault! I failed the mission and my teammates!” She yelled into the tile. The back of her hair at the nape of her neck was matted with dried blood, and there was a still open cut there, about as wide as a knife. Shikamaru saw it, then looked up at Tsunade, whose eyes were cold and fixed there as well.

 

“You endangered yourself and your mission by underestimating your opponent?” Tsunade asked, anger welling up in her voice, “Is that what I’m supposed to take from this? After I  _ just _ promoted you?”

 

“I’m sorry! It won’t ever happen again! I swear!” Naru shouted, her whole body shaking. Shikamaru couldn’t take his eyes off Tsunade’s face.  _ These enemies were well beyond jonin level. We were lucky to escape with our lives… and she’s angry we failed?  _

 

“Damn right it won’t, I told you you were on thin ice, kid, and now-“

 

Naru’s body stilled. She looked up at Tsunade, flinching as she did so. She was leaving dried blood and dirt smudges on the floor. Tsunade’s shoulders relaxed a little.

 

“And now you’re not going to be leading any missions anytime soon, do you hear me?” She said, “But you’re all still alive. And that’s what really counts,” 

 

“Everyone is back? Everyone is okay?” Naru asked, her face intense. Tsunade nodded shortly. 

 

“Everyone is fine besides you. You’re disgusting. I want you cleaned up and under observation,” She gestured to the Medi nin who had been hanging back as she spoke, who instantly rushed forward. “And I want her assessed for damage,”

 

“I’m find. You know I’m fine. I want to go home,” Naru glared at her. The hokage shook her head.

 

“Fine for now, anyway. Just wait until I see what you broke downstairs,”

 

“That vase was ugly anyway,” Naru snarled, she looked over at Shikamaru and smiled, a little sadly, and then it was gone.  “I’m glad you’re okay, Shikamaru-kun. I was so fuc-“

 

“Language! This is a hospital, not the academy cafeteria, you little shit,” Tsunade snapped. Naru pulled a face.

 

“I was so gosh darn worried about you,” She corrected. Shikamaru shot her a little smile back.

 

“I was pretty flipping worried about your silly behind too, Naru,” He said. The corners of her mouth twitched upward, and she was pulled away by the medi nin behind her. Temari was smirking at him when he turned back to face her. 

 

“So is it some kind of jutsu she has or what?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. Shikamaru narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms.

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“Naruto-san. She’s not pretty, so what is it that has you and my brother clambering all over her?”

 

“Nothing. No one is clambering all over anyone,”

 

“Noted, I’ll keep it in mind,” She snorted, standing up and slinging her fan onto her back. Tsunade narrowed her eyes at Temari.

 

“Shikamaru-san, due to the events preceding my becoming Hokage, I’d like you to escort our lovely guest here,” She said quietly. Shikamaru and Temari both flushed. 

 

“But, Hoka-“

 

“Don’t talk back to me,” Tsunade snapped. Shikamaru’s mouth clicked shut. “Your assignment is your assignment. And Temari-san,”

 

“Yes, Hokage-sama?” Temari asked politely. Tsunade smiled sweetly. Shikamaru felt a cold terror slip into his stomach.

 

“I’m sure while you’re here, you and your brothers won’t mind helping out in the Academy? I’m sure you have so much to teach them, and it really is important to foster inter-village relationships starting at a young age in order to avoid  _ incident _ , don’t you think?”

 

“Uh… Yes, Hokage-sama, of course, Ma’am,” She said, a bead of sweat making its way down her temple. “I have to excuse myself now, Ma’am,”

 

Shikamaru hesitated, glancing at Tsunade quickly, then rushing after Temari, who was walking stiff-legged away from the Hokage. He frowned at her when he caught up.

 

“Wow, she hates you for some reason. Well, at least it’s just a babysitter and teaching duty at the academy,”

 

Temari shot him a dirty look. “I hate kids,” she snapped. Shikamaru flashed her a crooked grin.

 

“Well, I hate being awake, but we all have to put up with stuff we don’t like from time to time,” He put his hands in his pockets and looked at the smears of mud and blood Naru had left on the floor. “Even if it is a drag. Where are we going, anyway?” 

 

“To Kiba-san’s room. I have to tell Kankuro that we’re going to have to teach kids now,”

 

“Why’d he be in Kiba’s room?” Shikamaru asked, raising an eyebrow at her. She shook her head. 

 

“He likes to bother people, and apparently Kiba-san is easy pickings,”

 

“What, like, he’s just there annoying him?”

 

“More like flirting, but yeah,” Temari said, turning a corner so sharply Shikamaru had to rush to catch up. She was smirking again.

 

“You know, you Sand villagers are kinda strange,” He said. She snorted.

 

“You leaf are  _ very _ strange,” She said, pushing open a door and gesturing him through it. He slid in awkwardly, and she closed the door behind them. Kiba was sitting up in the bed, trying to catch a glimpse of Akamaru, who was being tended to by a woman with the same markings on her cheeks as Kiba. They looked alike. She was probably his sister or something. Kankuro had his arms crossed, and was leaning in the corner of the room, his eyes fixed on Kiba and a smirk to match Temari’s planted firmly on his face. 

 

“He’s going to be fine, Kiba, lay down,” The woman said, looking up at him, “Your injuries are worse than his,”

 

“Fuck my injuries,” Kiba snapped, wincing as he craned to look at Akamaru. “The problem is that he has any at all,” Kankuro started forward and put a hand on Kiba’s shoulder, pushing him back down into bed a little rougher than Shikamaru deemed necessary. 

 

“Lay down and shut up,” He said, his voice low. Kiba glared up at him, and Shikamaru was surprised to see what part of his cheeks that weren’t tattooed flush pink.  _ Well, then. Kiba likes getting pushed around. Information I neither needed nor wanted. _

 

“You shut up, stay out of it. It’s none of your business,”

 

“It became my business the second I had to pick you up and carry you here, you idiot,” Kankuro said, unable to stop himself from smiling, his hand still on Kiba’s shoulder, pinning him down, “Now your dumb ass needs to get better so I never have to do it again. I will handcuff you to the damn bed if I have to,”

 

Temari cleared her throat, and both boys looked up. Kiba turned neon red the second he saw Shikamaru standing there, his hand over his mouth and his eyebrows threatening to retreat into his hairline.

 

“How long have you two been there?!” He yelped, slapping Kankuro’s hand away. Kankuro bit his lips together to stop from laughing.

 

“Long enough,” Shikamaru said, lifting his hand away from his mouth and using every bit of strength in his body not to grin. Kiba groaned and slammed his head against the pillows.

 

“It wasn’t enough I had to stab myself, now I have to put up with this too?” He sighed, “Why me?” 

 

“It’s ‘cause you suck,” Shikamaru laughed. Kiba flipped him off. Kankuro just looked like he was using every ounce of self restraint he had to stay quiet. Temari cleared her throat again.

 

“Apparently we need to report to the Academy. The Hokage wants us teaching classes,”

 

All happiness slid off of Kankuro’s face in a second. “Not kids! Come on!”

 

“What, you don’t like kids?” Kiba snapped, “I figured you’d get along, considering you have the brain of a drunk two year old,”

 

“Shut up,” Kankuro growled, towering over Kiba. Kiba struggled up to sit again.

 

“Make me,” He said, his voice low. For a second, they both froze, glaring at each other, but then the woman looking after Akamaru slammed her hands down and glared around at them.

 

“Both of you need to stop it or so help me, I will kill all of you and then myself,” 

 

Shikamaru snorted and had to leave the room to stop himself from getting injured by the Inuzuka woman.

 

Temari ducked out quickly afterward, looking exasperated. She frowned up at Shikamaru. “Your buddy is just encouraging him, you know that, right?”

 

“Oh, I know,” Shikamaru said, shoving his hands back into his pockets. “Do you mind if we go visit Naru?” 

 

“No, of course we can go and see her. Do you want to wait so she has a chance to get showered up? We could go and look in on Gaara and Lee-san?”

 

“No, I think we should check up on Naru first, I have a feeling she’s… probably causing trouble, and I might be able to help,”

 

Temari shrugged. “Okay, if you say so, but if she gets pissed at you for walking in on her changing or something,”

 

“Honestly, Naru probably would forget she was half naked and offer to go get ramen,” Shikamaru said, shrugging, “She’s just not wired like most people,”

 

“Yeah, right, anyone would freak out if someone walked in on them while they were changing. It’s human nature,”

 

“You don’t know Naru,” He laughed, shaking his head. They walked in silence for a minute before they heard a loud crash and more yelling. Temari flinched.

 

“Gods, is she always like this?”

 

“Well most of the time she doesn’t break things, but the yelling is totally normal,”

 

“How do you put up with it?” She asked, amazed. Shikamaru felt the corner of his mouth twitch.

 

“Gladly,” He opened the door and they both entered. Shikamaru grabbed Temari’s head and forced her down, ducking as a chair came flying at their heads. “Naru! It’s me, you idiot!” Shikamaru snapped as the chair shattered against the door. The room was littered with broken glass and furniture, a medi nin was in a defensive stance, clutching a syringe like a Kunai and glowering at Naru.

 

“Shika-kun? Sorry, I just saw dark hair, and I thought for a second…” She paused, almost letting the medical nin near her, before she leapt into the corner and pointed at him. “You try to stick me with one more needle and I’ll start throwing heavier shit, do you hear me?”

 

“It’s just a plasma shot!” The ninja shouted at her, holding the needle out for her to see. She bared her teeth at him. 

 

“Piss off, just give me a soldier pill and I’m out of here,”

 

“You’re supposed to be under observation. If you don’t comply, I’ll be forced to request sedation,”

 

“Sedate yourself, you cross eyed fuck!” She shouted, edging along the wall away from him. Shikamaru felt an overwhelming urge to hug her.  _ What happened to her that made her act like this? She’s never been well behaved, sure, but she’s acting like a feral animal caught in a trap. _

 

“Naru,” He said, calmly, walking toward her with his hands out. She looked over at him and her snarl faded, “Naru, it’s okay. You’re okay now. You’re in the village, and no one here is gonna hurt you,”

 

“See, that’s what I thought too,” She hissed, her eyes flitting across his face. She looked behind him at the Medical ninja and Temari, and flinched as she did it.. Shikamaru narrowed his eyes.

 

“Can you two give us a second?”

 

“Listen kid-“ the medical ninja started, but Temari hissed at him.

 

“What, you think you’re getting somewhere with her? Let the kid do his thing,”

 

Shikamaru ignored them as they left, slamming the door behind them. As soon as the door closed, all the fight left Naru. She slumped against the wall and looked straight at the ceiling.

 

“Do you wanna stick a knife in me too? Why not finish the job while I’m getting hurt by everyone I care about,”

 

“What happened?”

 

“Sasuke’s a traitor and I couldn’t save him. I failed. I was the only one who could do it and I didn’t pull it off,”

 

“No, I mean what happened to your neck?” Shikamaru asked, stepping closer, grabbing her shoulders gently. She looked up at him, a tiny flash of distrust crossing over her face- making him want to personally murder Sasuke Uchiha with his bare hands.

 

“What makes you think something happened to my neck?” She asked, looking up at him with an expression of surprise that she seemed to think was convincing. He rolled his eyes.

 

“There’s blood in your hair and I saw an open wound there. Don’t think I haven’t noticed that you almost  _ never _ have open wounds, even when you do get injured, by the time you get back here, you’re always at the very least on the way to being fully healed, so that mark on your neck is a big fucking deal. Every time you move your head, you flinch, and you grabbed it not even a minute ago. So let me ask again, what happened to your neck?”

 

“You know, you’re too observant for your own stupid good. I can’t tell you,”

 

“Why not?”

 

“Because I’m going to get Sasuke back. And if I get him back here, it wouldn’t mean much if you murdered him the second I got him through the gates,”

 

“Fair enough. I’d still like to know,” he said, steering her toward the bed, where she collapsed. 

 

“I’d like it to never have happened in the first place, but, it’s becoming increasingly obvious to me that life is disappointing,” She grunted as her head hit the pillow. Her eyes were half closed already. He felt the overwhelming urge to hug her, but didn’t, because her neck was hurting and he knew it wouldn’t help.

 

“How on earth did he beat you?” he whispered under his breath. She blinked and looked up at him, tears beginning to pool.

 

“He was stronger than me,” She said quietly.

 

“I didn’t mean  _ how _ he did it… I meant how  _ could _ he do it,”

 

“You’re just saying the same thing over and over again,” She snapped, furrowing her brows and frowning. Shikamaru shook his head.

 

“No, I’m not, but it doesn’t matter,”

 

“Hey, Shika-kun?”

 

“Yeah Naru?”

 

“Can you.. Could you maybe… Would you mind staying with me? And making sure they don’t give me anything while I’m out?”

 

“I… Naru I have an assignment-“

 

“Then can you please lie to me?” She asked, opening her eyes all the way and looking up at him, grabbing his hand, tears running into her singed hairline. “Please just… Tell me I’ll be okay?”

 

“I’m not ever going to lie to you, Naru,” He said, “And you’re going to be better than okay,” He paused, looking up at the door. “I’ll stay with you, Naru. I’ll stay,”

 

She smiled a little and her eyes slipped closed. “You’re a great liar, Shikamaru-kun. Way better than I am,”

“I’m not lying,” He said, but she was already asleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shikamaru: Take On The World, You Me At Six
> 
> Naru: Someday You Will Be Loved, Death Cab For Cutie
> 
> Temari: Take Her Back, The Pidgeon Detectives
> 
> Kiba: Untouched, The Veronica’s (lmaoooooo)


	99. Naru, And Three Conversations Of Varying Seriousness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru talks to people

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today is the two month anniversary of posting this so here’s to But I’m Not! the least dark thing i’ve written in years. and to you guys, who are reading it, somehow for some reason. thanks!

Naru awoke covered in bandages to loud yelling. That wasn’t entirely unusual, but considering her current mind state, it shouldn’t have been surprising to anyone that the first thing she did was grab the newly replaced vase on her bedside and move to bludgeon someone with it. 

 

Jiraiya, however, was fast enough to pull it out of her hands and shove her back toward her bed.

 

“Gods, kid, you always bring that damn energy when I don’t need it,” He snapped, picking her up with one hand and tossing her back onto the mattress. Someone barked in protest.

 

“Hey be careful!” 

 

Naru looked over, and Shikamaru was standing there, glaring daggers at Jiraiya. She shook her head as Jiraiya slammed the vase back down on the bedside table and pointed at Shikamaru.

 

“Listen here kid, Naru isn’t old enough to date, and even if she could date, there’s no way I’d let her date a little shit who butts in when he’s not wanted!”

 

“I am wanted! Naru asked me to stay!” Shikamaru snapped back, “You're the one who’s butting in here!”

 

“I don’t care what she said! She’s trying to hit people with vases! She’s clearly  _ not _ of sound mind!”

 

“Hey!” Naru shouted, causing both of them to start and look around, “I don’t wanna hear this! Both of you shut the  _ hell _ up!”

 

Both Jiraiya and Shikamaru fell still and silent. Naru froze.  _ I didn’t actually think they’d listen. _

 

_ “ _ Okay, uh, first of all no one is dating anyone,” She said, sitting up on the shitty hospital cot and yanking the bandages off her face, “And second of all… Shikamaru-kun… you… you stayed here all this time for me?”

 

Shikamaru turned to face her, flushing bright red and looking at his feet, “Yeah, you asked me to, and I told you I would,”

 

“But you had an assignment!” She said, scooting to the edge of the bed and narrowing her eyes at him. He rubbed the back of his neck and avoided her gaze.

 

“Yeah, Ino is covering for me. I always keep my word,” He glanced at her then looked away quickly, “I told you that,”

 

Naru smiled at him, feeling a mix of gratitude and affection flood her whole body. “You’re an amazing person, Shikamaru, you know that?”

 

“What? No, I’m just not a liar, that’s all,” He said, staring straight down at his feet. She wanted to pick him up, but resisted the urge for Jiraiya’s sake.

 

“Okay, come here,” She said, frantically gesturing him closer. He edged forward, and the second he was in reach she yanked him into a hug. He stiffened awkwardly, but she just squeezed him tight and let go.

 

“Naru-“

 

“Shika-kun, do you mind letting me have a word with Pervy Sage for a minute?” She asked, letting him stand up straight again. He frowned.

 

“If that’s his damn name, then yeah, I do mind,”

 

“Oh shut up and leave for a couple minutes, I gotta talk to the old goat for a bit,” She laughed, poking him in the chest. Shikamaru shot a dirty look over his shoulder at Jiraiya, but then nodded and shuffled out the door. He closed it, and leaned against it, obviously straining to listen in. Naru rolled her eyes.

 

“Go away, Grumpy. I wanna talk to my teacher  _ privately, _ ” she called, “Go get snacks or visit Choji-chan or something. See if we can share a room or whatever!”

 

“I don’t like this!” He snapped, pushing off the door and turning his head so she could see his profile in the window.

 

“You’ll survive,” she said, grinning at the door.

 

“What a drag,” He grumbled, plodding away. Naru rolled her eyes. 

 

She turned back to Jiraiya, who looked intensely aggravated. “Hey old man. What’s poppin?”

 

“I wanted to talk to you. I was just gonna poke my head in, sit on the window sill, watch the sunset till you got up, but your little  _ pal _ mouthed off and told me to go get a visitors pass,”

 

“Why were you planning out where you would sit?” Naru asked, pulling a face. Jiraiya frowned at her.

 

“That’s not the important part,”

 

“What  _ is _ the important part here?”

 

“I hate your boyfriend,”

 

“It’s good I don’t have one of those then,” She snapped. Jiraiya pointed at the door.

 

“Does that sad little snot rag know that?” He asked, furrowing his brow. Naru rolled her head. Her neck was only a little stiff now. 

 

“What was it you wanted to talk about it?”

 

“What?”

 

“You said you wanted to talk,”

 

“We’re talking about your little ponytail buddy right now, kid,”

 

“No we aren’t, I just changed the subject. If you’re having a senior moment then just own up to it, will you?”

 

Jiraiya’s face went bright red, and he started spluttering. “Kid if you don’t stop acting like an idiot I’ll kick your ass, do you hear me?”

 

“You’re the one who can’t remember what you wanted to talk to me about.  _ And _ you might as well kick my ass, honestly, because at this point I just think that’s what I’m here for,” she spread her hands out in the air in front of her, “Step right up and throw a punch! The amazing Naruto Uzumaki, she’ll heal right up so injuries don’t really mean anything!”

 

“You dumbass. Your injuries still matter. You’re not here just to be a punching bag,” Jiraiya squinted at her. “What exactly happened? I know you fought that kid Sasuke, but what happened?”

 

Naru closed her mouth tightly and shook her head. “nuh-uh.” She looked away, wiping her tears under the pretence of unwrapping her bandages. “I’m not telling anyone about it,”

 

“Come on, kid. It’s not like you’re tattling, he’s a traitor, we know he slapped you around,”

 

“Yeah well you don’t need the details. What was it you wanted to talk about?” she asked, balling up the bandage from her head and throwing it across the room. It hit the wall and fell to the floor, uravelled. She looked over at Jiraiya, who was leaning against the window, looking resigned.

 

“I wanna take you out of the leaf to train you one on one. It’d be hard, and we’d be gone for a long time-”

 

“When can we leave?” She asked, moving to get out of bed. Jiraiya held his hands out. 

 

“Whoa whoa whoa, kiddo!” He said, “We’re talking about  _ years _ here. You’d be leaving your friends and… well you don’t have family, but you’d be leaving that ramen place you like so much,” Jiraiya said, rubbing the back of his head. “This isn’t something to take lightly,”

 

“I’m taking it plenty heavily, old man,” She snapped, glaring at him, “But my best friend just handed me my ass on a platter and he’s off to go train with your evil ex-teammate. You offering to train me is probably the only chance I have of catching up to him,”

 

“Okay, fine, but we can’t leave for about a month. I have to do some final recon missions and it’s too dangerous for you,” He leaned back and crossed his arms again, “It’ll also give you some time to say goodbye to your friends. Three years is a long time at your age, you know that when you come back, a lot of things will have changed. They might not feel so close to you,”

 

“I know, I know,” Naru said dismissively, unwrapping her arm and smirking up at him, “and I’m counting on changing a whole lot. Gotta keep things interesting, after all,”

 

“Naru, you sure as shit don’t need to change in order to keep things interesting,” Jiraiya laughed. She smiled at him. 

 

“Okay. One month,” she started unwrapping her other arm. “That’s thirty days. I can do that. I can wait,”

 

“Don’t wish it away kid,” Jiraiya warned, climbing out onto the window sill, “You’ll wish you could rewind in the end,” He looked back over his shoulder at her, “We all wish we could have a chance to do things over,”

 

“It’s funny you say that,” She said, getting out of bed and starting to unwrap her legs, “Cause I have the weirdest feeling that I am doing all of this over sometimes,”

 

Jiraiya shrugged. “Stranger things have happened,” 

 

“Yeah. I’m learning that pretty quickly,” She said, looking up at him. He nodded, and she nodded back.

 

“One month, kid,”

 

“One month old man,” 

 

And her teacher was gone. She just kept yanking away at her bandages. She rummaged through the drawers in the bedside table and yanked on the orange sweatpants that someone had put there, then undid her hospital gown and put on her sports bra. She felt better, in her old trousers, like maybe she’d only gotten hurt on a mission and any second Sakura and Sasuke would stroll through the door, ready to lecture her.  _ I really do feel like I’m re-doing all this stuff sometimes. But… I don’t think I’ve ever felt this way before. _

 

The door swung open and Naru looked up, expecting Shikamaru, but instead, Sakura’s body was standing there, with a bouquet of pink flowers and two black eyes, a bandage over her nose. Naru squinted. 

 

“It’s Sakura,” She said, walking into the room holding the flowers out to her. Naru took them with one hand, and dropped them into her vase. 

 

“Nice of you, but I’m not staying here for much longer,”

 

“I heard you had to be under observation for another day,”

 

“Yeah, right,” Naru said, looking through the drawer again for her shirt. She sighed. “I’m not staying here any longer than it takes to get my hands on a boob prison,”

 

“Naru-chan…”

 

Naru looked up at her. Sakura was crying, her tears soaking into her nose bandage. Naru softened. “Sakura-chan, no… don’t cry over him,” She straightened up and pulled her friend into her arms, wrapping her in a tight hug.

 

“I’m not… Crying… Over him,” She sobbed into her shoulder, resting her shaking hands on Naru’s back. “I’m crying over you,”

 

Naru froze. Sakura was shaking. Tears were falling on her bare shoulder, and she had no clue what to do.  _ Don’t fuck this up with feelings. You’re about to leave for years. Don’t do that to her. _ “Don’t cry over me, Sakura-chan, I’m fine! Look, there isn’t a scratch on me,”

 

“I’m not stupid, I know that’s because you’re a jinchuriki,” She sobbed. Naru patted her awkwardly on the back. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t stop him, Naru! I’m so sorry. I wasn’t even close to strong enough. I was just useless. It wasn’t even me who fought him, it was Ibara, and she got beat in seconds. I’m so sorry Naru-chan!”

 

“I told you, don’t be sorry. You’re not at fault here, neither is Ibara-chan. You both did your part and let us all know as soon as you could. This is no one’s fault but Sasuke’s… Sasuke and Orochimaru,” Naru couldn’t help but let the hatred seep into her voice as she said Orochimaru’s name. 

 

Sakura stopped sobbing abruptly. She straightened up and looked at Naru straight in the eyes. “Ibara and I. We’re gonna get stronger, and next time, it’ll be the four of us. You, Ibara, the kyuubi and I,” she bent down and yanked a flack jacket out of the drawer, and handed it to Naru, who pulled it on.

 

“I’m leaving to go train with Pervy Sage,” Naru blurted out, looking up at Sakura and trying to push away the urge to kiss her, “I’m gonna be gone for years. Like, three years. We’ll still be best friends when I come back?”

 

“Of course, and when you come back I’ll be stronger than ever,” She said, clenching her fist and punching her hand, “I’m sick of being the weak link,”

 

Naru smiled at her. She held out her hand. “Four man team?”

 

“All by ourselves,” Sakura said, clasping her hand and smiling back. Just then, the door opened, and Shikamaru strode in holding a water jug and some potato chips.

 

“Hey Sakura,” he said, kicking the door shut behind him. H e set the water jug on the table and picked the chips back up and threw them at her. She caught them and grinned.

 

“How’s Choji-chan? This was nice of him. When I get my hands on a shirt I’ll go say thanks,” 

 

“Choji’s fine. But how come you assume he’s the one who gave you those? It coulda been me,”

 

“They’re barbeque flavour,” she said, smiling. Shikamaru frowned.

 

“I coulda bought you barbeque flavour,” Shikamaru mumbled. Sakura shot Naru a look that was a little too knowing.

 

“It’s Choji-chan’s favourite,” she said, putting her hands on her hips, “and that’s his brand too. Don’t play games with me Shikamaru-kun, I know potato chips,” 

 

He squinted at her. “Do you keep tabs on the ins and outs of everyone’s favourite foods?”

 

“Only when people make it obvious that they like them. I know Sakura-chan has a sweet tooth, and that you put soy sauce on everything you can,” She shrugged, opening the bag, “Kiba-chan will eat anything you put in front of him, but likes his meat kinda undercooked, and Hinata-chan is really picky but will eat whatever if someone went through the trouble of making it for her, just because she doesn’t wanna be rude,”

 

Shikamaru was trying hard not to smile, Naru could tell, but Sakura lunged forward and hugged her again. It was a good thing that she didn’t notice Naru’s hand snap over where her weapon’s pouch would have been if she had it on her. “Naru-chan! That’s so sweet!”

 

“It’s not like I  _ try _ to remember this stuff,” She grumbled, shoving a couple chips into her mouth and talking around them, “It just sticks in my head,”

 

“It’s cause you like food,” Shikamaru said, crossing his arms. Naru shrugged.

 

“I’ll go get water for the flowers. I’ll be back in a bit,” Sakura said, grabbing the vase and turning to leave. Shikamaru seemed a little disconcerted.

 

“I can go,” He offered, but Sakura just laughed.

 

“No, I think you two should talk a little, one on one,” She winked at Shikamaru, who turned bright red and started spluttering.

 

“No we don’t! We really, really don’t! It’s fine!”

 

“What are you scared of me or something, Shika-kun?”

 

Shikamaru turned back to face Naru and sighed. “This is a total drag,” He groaned, squinting at the ceiling. Naru laughed and hopped onto the bed, flopping into a sitting position and smiling up at him.

 

“I got some good news and some bad news,” she said around another mouthful of potato chips. Shikamaru looked down at her face and frowned.

 

“Huh?”

 

“What do you want first?”

 

He shoved his hands into his pockets and looked out the window. “Uh. Good, I guess,”

 

“Good news is I’m gonna go do some hardcore training with the Sage and totally kick some ass,”

 

“Weren’t you already training with Jiraiya? Why is that good news?”

 

“Well yeah, but I’m going to actually go and really get down to business. You know? Perfect my rasengan and learn more about the goons that are hunting me,”

 

“Okay, so you’re leaving the village? Is that the bad news?”

 

Naru frowned up at him. His eyes flicked to her face and back out the window.

 

“For how long?”

 

She dropped the chips she’d been holding back onto the bag and looked away from him too. “Three years,”

 

“When are you leaving?” He asked, his voice steady, his eyes fixed but unfocused. Naru sighed.

 

“A month. Hey Shika-kun?”

 

“Hey,” He said, still looking straight ahead. She glanced up at him then away again.

 

“You’re not gonna forget me, are you?”

 

He finally looked straight at her, full in the face. He looked like he was holding back a wall of emotion that was threatening to crush him. “Who on the planet could ever forget you?” 

 

She frowned and drew her legs up into her chest, ignoring the sound of her chips being crushed into dust. “I… I can think of some people. But not you?”

 

“Never me, knucklehead,” He said, poking her in the temple, his face still serious, “Never me,”

 

”Good,” she said, running her hand through her burnt hair. “Now, can you do me a favour and find me some buzzers?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Can’t Sleep, K.Flay
> 
> Jiraiya: Bury Me Face Down, grandson
> 
> Sakura: Sports, Beach Bunny
> 
> Shikamaru: LAIDBACK, RATBOY


	100. Gaara, Heartbreak

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gaara is a good teacher.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gaara is my son i love him he's precious

Gaara was trying very hard not to scare the children. They asked awkward questions about his gourd and how he got the tattoo-like scar on his face, and why he had on so much makeup. He couldn’t really answer honestly, he’d been told explicitly not to tell them too much about himself by Temari. It was a relief when the bell rang to dismiss them for lunch. He paused for a moment, gathering himself and taking a deep breath before he turned.

 

He froze. Naru was leaning against the door to his classroom, wearing an unfastened flack jacket over her tank top, her arms crossed and a smile on her face. “Hey,” She said, her voice lower than he remembered it, like she’d screamed herself hoarse, “Got a minute, Sensei?” 

 

Gaara shook himself internally. “Did you need a word?”

 

“I was actually hoping you’d be able to get away for lunch. Wanna grab a bite? My treat,”

 

Gaara hesitated again, but managed a nod. “I’d like that very much,”

 

Naru looked a little surprised, but thrilled. She gestured him closer, and waited for him to walk past her before she pushed off the doorframe and walked, so that they were side by side. She put her hands in her pockets and shot him another smile. Something in it had changed since the last time he’d seen her. A lot about her had changed, actually. Her hair was much shorter, she was a little bit taller, almost as tall as he was, and she seemed to have developed a nervous tick. She kept shaking her head.

 

“Do you like ramen?” She asked, raising her eyebrows at him. He nodded, not really wanting to speak again yet. He just wanted to watch for a little while. This was all so unfamiliar to him. “I don’t know what kinda places you have in Suna, but damn, nowhere on earth can beat Ichiraku,” She said, grinning, “It’s so good your head will explode,”

 

“I don’t want my head to explode,” He said, looking at Naru and smiling a little. She froze, her face going blank for a second, and then grinned ear to ear, nudging him with her elbow.

 

“Did you just… make a joke? Did you just joke with me?” She asked, beaming, “Oh my gods you totally did! I feel like I should have an award or something to give you. Let’s get tattoos to commemorate this moment,”

 

“Naru-san, please,” Gaara said, smiling again. It felt strange. She threw her arm around his shoulders and steered him around a corner, smiling skyward.

 

“Seriously though, matching tattoos feel like a good idea,”

 

“Aren’t our seals enough?” He asked, a rush of anxiety bubbling in his chest. She eyed him.

 

“Our seals weren’t choices that we made.They’re something other people chose to do to us. I’m choosing this, now. You and I are two sides of the same coin. We’re meant to be friends, but that doesn't mean we can't still pick each other. You know?”

 

“Yeah, I think I do,” He said, scratching his nose. She shook him a little. 

 

“I’m glad,” She laughed, pushing curtains aside to land them both in the ramen hut and setting him in a seat off to the side. He got the feeling she normally sat smack in the middle, but was offsetting herself for him. A rush of gratitude overtook him as they settled, him tucked against the wall with a good view of the whole hut. “What do you like?”

 

Gaara paused.  _ What do I like?  _ “To eat?”

 

Naru laughed. “Yeah, to eat, we gotta order. You can tell me the whole list while they’re making the food,”

 

“I like fish,” He said, “Can’t get a lot of it in the desert,”

 

“Okay,” She turned to the teenage girl behind the counter and smiled at her. “Can I get a seafood ramen with extra toppings and a large miso pork?”

 

“Of course Naru-chan!” The girl said, smiling at her. Gaara felt a little bit of wonder rise up in his chest. He never heard anyone talk to Naru like she was a monster. It wasn’t even just fellow Ninja who were fine with having her around. Even just every day civilians liked her.  _ Is it a secret she’s a Jinchuriki? Do they not know? _

 

“Okay, what’s your list?” Naru asked, smiling at him. Gaara blinked.

 

“Hm?”

 

“What do you like? I wanna hear everything,”

 

Gaara hesitated. The list wasn’t long yet. And it was mostly comprised of things Naru might not understand. He started anyway. “Sand,”

 

Naru grinned.

 

“I like… I like the wind. I like the wind a lot. The way it sounds, the way it feels. I like the sound eagles make and I like Lee-san. I like Temari, my sister, and I like the clouds. Here. We don’t get a lot in the desert, so the clouds are… a rare treat. I like it here. I like the colours, and all your weird clothes. And the people. They’re very kind. Only a little scared, even though I did a lot of damage. I like… I like children, though I don’t think I’m good with them. I think… I think I’ll get better. I enjoy iced tea. Hot tea too, but iced tea is… good. And you. I like… you,”

 

Naru was looking at his face in a way no one had ever looked at him before. What was that expression? But then she was just grinning at him again. “I like you too Gaa-chan! You’re great, and I wish I could hang out with you all the time. One day when we’re grown up we can visit each other super often,”

 

“I would like that,”

 

The soup was set down in front of them, and Naru wiggled happily in her seat, grabbing chopsticks and snapping them apart. Gaara took some chopsticks too, and started in on his food. He really wasn’t up to eat all of it, but he’d try. Naru glanced over at him again.

 

“Hey, Gaa-chan?”

 

He swallowed and looked over at her. “Hm?”

 

“Why  _ don’t  _ you have eyebrows?” She asked. Gaara flushed a little.

 

“You can only pull out hairs so many times before they stop growing back,” He said, “And… well, it was a nervous habit when I was very small. And I was always nervous,” He rolled the half egg across the top of his noodles. Naru nudged him.

 

“It’s okay. You don’t need em,” She wiggled here at him, “You’ve got enough going on that I bet most people don’t even notice they aren’t there,”

 

“Remember when I very first fought Lee-san and you yelled out to him…”

 

“Oh, what did I say?”

 

“You said something like… ‘You’ve got the power of eyebrows!’,”

 

Naru laughed, ruffling her very short hair. “Wow I said that? Sounds like something I’d say, but I think I was just yelling nonsense cause your brother was bothering me,”

 

“He bothers everyone. Don’t take it personally,”  _ When was the last time he talked this much? She was rubbing off on him. _

 

“Aw,” She said, pouting, “You mean I’m not special?”

 

Gaara froze.  _ Oh no, did I say something rude? Was that wrong? _ But then Naru elbowed him and laughed. 

 

“Gaa-chan I’m joking! You’re so cute. Don’t worry, I know what your brother is like. He’s imprinted on Kiba-chan. I don’t blame him, honestly, Kiba-chan is super fun to mess with. The same day I met you guys, I scared him out of a tree,”

 

Gaara wasn’t sure what to say, so he just began shovelling food into his mouth.  _ I’m… Cute? _ He swallowed loudly and glanced up at her. She was smiling at him. He was gripped by a sudden, terrifying thought.

 

“Is this… a date?” He asked. Her eyes went wide and she flushed.

 

“What? No! I’m just buying you lunch! I’m sorry, did you-“

 

“No! No! I just thought for a second there-“

 

“I mean, I’m not like…  _ ew _ , but I’m not-“

 

“No, no, I wasn’t trying-“

 

“Ugh, everyone knows it's not a date. Both of you calm down. You can have lunch as friends,” The teenager behind the counter groaned. Naru flushed even darker, and the girl laughed. “You kids, I swear, your lives are so dramatic,”

 

Naru slapped her hands down on the counter. “I’m getting barbecue next time dammit!”

 

“No you aren’t,” The girl laughed. Naru picked up her chopsticks and eyed her sulkily.

 

“You're right. I’m not,” She admitted. She winked at Gaara.

 

They are the rest of their meal in a comfortable silence, and Naru paid the girl and left her a heavy tip. She turned to him. “I can walk you back, if you want,”

 

“Yeah,” Gaara said, “that would be nice,”

 

She put her hands in the pockets of her jacket and waited for him to catch up. He fell into step and they walked side by side for a minute before she spoke again.

 

“Hey, Gaa-chan?” 

 

“Hm?”

 

“How much heartbreak do you think a person can take?” She asked, looking up at the sky again. He blinked, taken aback, but then looked ahead.

 

“I suppose it depends on the person,”

 

Naru frowned. “Yeah, I guess so,”

 

“I thought I couldn’t take any more. I thought I didn’t have any heart _left_ to break,” He blurted out, turning toward the academy. Naru stopped walking and stared at him. He clenched his fists.  _ Well now I have to explain. _ “I thought any heart I had was crushed to pieces and scattered on the wind. But you… You blew it back to me. I think how much heartbreak a person can take depends on whoever the heart belongs to,” He looked over his shoulder and met Naru’s gaze, “and who will help you through it,” 

 

Naru closed her eyes and nodded. “You know Gaa-chan,” she said, walking to catch up with him, “I always did think that tattoo on your forehead suited you,” She poked it, and he smiled.

 

“Maybe you should get one too,” He said. She snorted.

 

“Thanks, but red really isn’t my colour,” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gaara: Rejoice, Andrew Jackson Jihad/ (AJJ)
> 
> (Rejoice, your hair it smells like burning hair  
> Oh rejoice, your nails all got chewed off  
> Rejoice, and holy fuck! you're bleeding there  
> Oh rejoice, you burned your whole beard off)
> 
> Naru: Tough Guy, Cyberbully Mom Club
> 
> (So sit me down and shut me up and pin me to the floor  
> tell me everything's alright, promise that i need nothing more  
> and i will smile x3 And look towards the brighter side)


	101. Naru, Boulders and Beetles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru tries to get back in the swing of things

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I explain a little more of the thinks and things behind this chapter after the songs at the bottom.

_He was running from her, that damn red fan dissappearing into the darkness as she fell further and further behind. It was like she was moving through syrup, trying to run a marathon in chest high water, struggling against a current. And he was just running away._

_"Sasuke-kun! Come back!"_

 

_Then he was behind her, something sharp pressed against the back of her neck. "A ninja strikes when he's least expected,"_

 

Naru awoke to the sound of glass shattering, and something heavy hitting her in the left thigh. She leapt out of bed, using every swear word she knew. Someone had whipped a rock through her window. She grabbed the rock and sprinted toward the window, sticking her head out and tossing the rock back at the person who'd thrown it. He dodged.

 

“Hey! What’s the big idea here?” She shouted, glaring down at the pavement.

 

“Sorry! Guess I should have grabbed a smaller rock,” Kiba said, rubbing the back of his neck and looking guilty, “My bad!”

 

“And _why_ are you whipping BOULDERS at my house, exactly?” She bellowed, leaning as far as she could out of the window and waving her fists at him. He held up his hands.

 

“We’ve been summoned to the Hokage’s office. I think it’s our next assignment, since all the Jonin are out doing real work.”

 

“Kiba-chan I’m gonna kick your ass!”

 

“You should probably put on pants first!” He laughed, pointing at her boxers, “Just a suggestion,”

 

“Kiba-chan! Put Akamaru on the ground! I’m coming down!” She yelled. She ran into her room and yanked on clothes, pulling on her shoes as she hopped out of the door. She sprinted down the stairs and out of the building, turning the corner and full body tackling Kiba. They were sent sprawling into the dirt, and she grabbed his forearms, pinning him. “Kiba-chan I can’t believe you,”

 

“Naru-chan, get up,” He grunted, kicking out one leg while the other heel scraped in the dirt. She snarled at him.

 

“You’re paying for that window, you dorkling,” She growled. Kiba wiggled, then twisted one of his arms out of her grip, rolling them over and leaving her on the ground as he scrambled back to his feet, flushing.

 

“Okay! I’ll pay for the damn window! Gods,” he grinned down at her, offering her a hand, which she took, and he heaved her to her feet. “Ya know, you got a lotta pent up aggression now that Sasuke isn’t around for you to take it out on,”

 

Naru froze, and shoved her hands in her pockets, her eyes finding the ground. “You said we were supposed to go see Tsunade Baa-chan?”

 

Kiba seemed to realise what he said.  “Sorry Na-“

 

“It’s fine. I’m fine. Let’s go,” She stooped and picked Akamaru up, handing him to Kiba and walking away. He jogged a little to catch up.

 

“Hey,” He said, tentatively.

 

“Hey,” She said, shaking her head and hiking a smile up on to her features. It was more effort than usual.

 

“The Sand villagers left yesterday. I know you were out training, but I was wondering if you saw them off,”

 

“Nah, I came back too late. Said my goodbyes in the morning, to Gaa-chan that is,” she shot him a sideways glance, “I bet you’re missing your boyfriend,”

 

Kiba turned bright red. “B-b-boyfriend? No! Kankuro-san is _not_ my _boyfriend._ We aren’t boyfriends, _”_

 

Naru laughed. “To quote _everyone_ in my damn life: have you told him that? Cause I’m not sure he knows. He slept in your hospital room on the floor,”

 

“Yeah, just so he wouldn’t miss a moment of annoying me,” Kiba snapped, looking away.

 

“I doubt that. And I doubt you were all that annoyed,” She smirked at him. “I think you liked all that attention,”

 

“Shut up, knucklehead,” He said, still red in the face. Naru just shook her head.

 

“You’re the knucklehead, you can’t lie to me Kiba-chan,” She wiggled her eyebrows, “now I know you have a thing for older guys, I’m never letting it go,”

 

“Maybe I just have a thing for people who can beat me up,” He groaned, rubbing his eyes. Naru promptly choked on her own spit. “Anyway, I’m kinda hyped for this mission. You, me, Shino-chan, Hinata-chan. It’ll be a good one,”

 

“Shino-san is coming?” She asked, feeling her anticipation mount, “He’s not gonna go catch the second rarest bug in the world with his dad or something,”

 

“Why the second rarest?”

 

“He probably already has the rarest,” She said, shrugging. Kiba snorted.

 

“Why would you think that?”

 

She sent him a sidelong glance. “Is it possible that Shino-san could be _aware_ of a bug out there that was _the rarest_ _bug_ and not find a way to obtain _that bug_?”

 

“Fair point,” Kiba said, “But I don’t think he has _the rarest_ bug,”

 

They strolled up through the Hokage’s dome and into her office, where Hinata and Shino were already patiently standing. Tsunade scowled at Naru.

 

“You’re late,”

 

“I wasn’t told that there was a time I was supposed to be here by. I came as soon as I heard you needed me,” Naru said, biting back a smile. _Tsunade is trying too hard to be a hardass nowadays._

 

“Still late. I have a mission for you four. I want you to track down and capture a rare variety of cicada. A breeding pair, actually. Team Kurenai is known for being especially good at tracking, and, of course, I can’t ignore Shino-san’s promise as a member of the Aburame clan,”

 

“So why am I here?”

 

“To punch things, if things arise that need punching,” Tsunade said, “And to keep you out of trouble here. I heard you’ve been throwing things into the foundations of new buildings,”

 

Naru squinted at her. _How does she know about the potato chips? “No_ , but if I _have_ been it would have been _harmless_ and most likely for good luck,”

 

“What kind of cicada are you referring to, Hokage-sama?” Shino cut in, obviously excited in his weird, stoic way. Tsunade looked back at him.

 

“The Ashwinder Cicada,” She said, “The exoskeleton it sheds, when dried and ground, is an incredibly potent ingredient in antivenoms and antidotes to certain poisons. It would be good to have them, and thankfully, their hatching cycle in this part of the world is nearly up. We’re sending you out to obtain at least one breeding pair. Preferably more-“

 

“But the Ashwinder Cicada is incredibly rare! the likelihood of finding one is astronomical- four would be a miracle,” Shino blurted out. Naru has never seen him so excited. He might have even been making a facial expression.

 

“Well, given everything that’s happened over the last few months, I think we’re due for a miracle,” Tsunade narrowed her eyes, “I can count on you four, right?”

 

“Yes, Ma’am!” They all said. Naru grinned. _It would be good to get out of town_. It was hard to roam around these streets and know that the empty Uchiha compound was only a short walk away. That there was no chance she’d run into Sasuke. To never feel that buzz in her spine.

 

To wonder if she ever would again.

 

 _It would be good to get out of town._ “You’ll be dispatched immediately,” Tsunade said. “I am appointing Shino-san the squad leader for this mission,”

 

“What?! Tsunade Baa-chan! I’m the only Chunin in the group! Shouldn’t I be leader?”

 

“Like I said, you’re only on this mission to run interference on any trouble that might arise. Shino-san has experience with where you’re all going and what you’re all looking for. _And_ you’re on probation, if you don’t remember, you little shit,”

 

“Yeah, yeah, probation schmobation, this is messed up and you know it,” She snapped, shooting a sharp look at Shino. He was still and stoic again. _Stupid face cover. He’s even worse than Kakashi. How am I supposed to know what to say to him if I can’t read him?_

 

“Stop whining. You’re to _follow_ orders. My orders, and now, Shino-san’s. Now get the hell out of my office, all of you,”

 

They all bowed, Naru sticking out her tongue, and left. Naru, running, just in case the Hokage decided to throw something at her. When they were out of the Hokage’s dome, she turned to the others. “fifteen minutes, front gates, last one there’s gotta carry the bugs home,”

 

“I will be carrying the cicada’s home,” Shino growled, “and make it twenty. Most of us like to pack _everything_ that we need, Naru-san,”

 

Naru shrugged. “Fine, suit yourself. Catch ya on the flip, ya stupid losers… and Hinata-chan,” she said, waving cheerfully at them all and jogging away. She could hear Shino grumble something that made Kiba laugh. She sprinted to her house and packed, tossing everything in reach into her bag, and a weeks worth or ration bars. She dumped some water into her plants and pulled the bag onto her back. She ran out, clicking the lock as quickly as she could and falling down the stairs, thudding along until she slammed into the door face first. She groaned and pushed it open, falling out onto the pavement.

 

She scrambled up to her feet, looking around to make sure that no one had seen. When she confirmed the coast was clear, she ran down through the town, and skidded to a halt in front of a familiar building. She picked up a few pebbles, took aim, and tossed one. It clicked softly against the window.  _Kiba can't ever know he gave me a good idea. I'd never live it down._

 

Click. Click. Click.

 

the window unlatched, and slid open. Sakura stuck her head out.

 

“Naru-chan, is that you? What are you doing?”

 

“I’m headed out, I don’t know how long, probably a couple days. Just wanted to say goodbye. Tell Shika-kun I said bye, and that I'm sorry I couldn’t say it in person,”

 

“Come up,”

 

“There’s no time,”

 

“Come on, quick, just climb up!” She said, gesturing toward herself quickly. Naru hesitated for a second and then planted her hands on the wall, scaling it and bringing them face to face. Sakura smiled. “See? That didn’t take long at all!” She pulled Naru in and hugged her.

 

“Sakura-chan…”

 

“You watch your back, okay, knucklehead? If I have to visit you in the hospital one more time, I’ll personally make sure you don’t leave for a month,”

 

“Do you need to be vaguely threatening every time you hug me?”

 

“Vaguely? I take offence to that, I’m _very_ threatening,” she said, squeezing Naru harder. Naru chuckled quietly, and pulled her arms off with one hand.

 

“I have to go, Sakura-chan,” She said, leaning back and making to climb back down. Sakura pulled her up again, smiling.

 

“Hey! Ibara says goodbye too- and some _other stuff_ , but I’m not repeating it,”

 

“Bye, Ibara-chan,” Naru said, smiling up at Sakura’s face, “I’ll be back in a couple days, okay?”

 

“Okay, okay, bye,” Sakura said, letting go. Naru clambered back down to the pavement and waved. Sakura waved back, and then Naru sprinted off toward the gates. _This is the first step. I have to get stronger, much stronger, and then… then I can get him back and keep my promise to her._

 

She skidded to a halt at the gates, Kiba and Akamaru were already there, smirking at her. “You’re slow, considering how big you talk,”

 

“Sorry, I got slowed up cause I had to board up my fucking window. Some asshole threw a brick at it,” She said, pulling a face at him. He laughed.

 

“Shino-chan and Hinata-chan live really close together, they’ll be here any second. While we’re here alone though, I was wondering if maybe you-”

 

“Naru-chan!” Came Hinata’s voice, causing them both to whip around. Hinata was waving happily at them, walking side by side with Shino, who was looking… like Shino.

 

“Hinata-chan!” Naru said, hopping up and down in the air. Kiba sighed.

 

“Every time…”

 

“Okay!” Naru said, snapping to attention and grinning at all of them as Shino and Hinata joined them, “Everyone ready? No one forgot anything? Kiba, you have the tent? Alrighty then, let’s go!” She said, trotting down the road. She didn’t get far before Shino was suddenly standing in front of her, leaning down so that his face was inches from hers, his sunglasses so dark she couldn’t even make out the shape of his eyes. _Gods, he’s really tall… Like… Really Really tall._

 

“I think that I’m the one who was appointed the leader of this mission, Naru-san,” he said in a low, serious tone. Naru froze, and bit her top lip nervously. “So I believe that I will be giving the orders here, _if you don’t mind,”_

 

“Eh, okay, okay,” She said, holding up her hands in submission, “you’re Mr. Boss Man, I get it,”

  
“Good,” He straightened up and turned away, “Now that’s all sorted out, let’s go,” he said, walking forward calmly. Kiba and Hinata were smiling, and Naru couldn’t help but flush a little. _Is this hazing? This feels like hazing…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Cool Schmool, Bratmobile
> 
> Kiba: Here It Goes Again, OK GO
> 
> Sakura: Rebel Girl, Bikini Kill //(fuck yeah! My favourite fuckin band!)
> 
> Shino: Mike Kennedy Is A Bad Friend, The Wonder Years (Yo! Head Above Water This Year Boys!)
> 
> (So my thoughts here, though probably poorly expressed (as usual) are that Naruto and Naru both got obliterated in the fight with Sasuke- though in different ways, and for different reasons. But whilst Naruto's first instinct was to get back out and keep trying to get Sasuke back, Naru feels like it is entirely her fault that Sasuke got away.
> 
> (this is a conditioned psychological anomaly in girls- they're taught to believe that if they aren't immediately successful at something that they are at fault, where as boys are taught that any problem that arises is something that they are always capable of surmounting, (also sometimes unhealthy, but we can leave that for another day,) this is, supposedly, responsible for the under-representation of women in the sciences. thanks for coming to my ted talk.) 
> 
> She wasn't strong enough to get him back, so therefore returning straight back to chasing him down would do her no good. She'd just get killed again. Which is why she's so fine with receiving a mission that has nothing to do with him, whilst Naruto was upset whenever he had to do a mission that wasn't centered around Orochimaru/Sasuke. )


	102. Kiba, Those Two Kids at the Sleepover That Can’t Get Along

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiba breaks up and argument and has a daydream at night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> everyone is a lil gay. or a lot gay.

“Come on! we can keep going for at least another hour or two, we don’t have to set up camp just because the sun is setting!” Naru whined, standing in the middle of the road. Kiba bit his tongue. She was really digging herself into a hole.

 

“Why do I need to continue to remind you who the leader of this mission is?” Shino snapped at her. She glared at him.

 

“Why don’t we go over it again, just to make sure I got it?” She snarled, crossing her arms and glaring at him. Shino froze and stared back. _Oh no, she really did it now. He’s gonna whoop her. Nice knowing you, Naru._

 

Shino trod forward, until they were so close even Kiba felt uncomfortable, and then glared down at her. _How does he glare when his whole face is covered?_ Naru uncrossed her arms and craned back to see his face, or rather, as much of it as she could. He had at least a foot on her, which was insane, but that paired with the fact that there was suddenly a muffled buzzing noise filling the air was making Kiba feel itchy. He patted Akamaru anxiously.

 

“Yeah, okay, we can go over it again. I was appointed leader of this mission, which means that I will decide when we stop, when we start, and what we do. You, as someone who is not the leader of this mission,” Shino said, quietly, calmly, leaning down so that their faces were close, “Follow. My. Orders, and do what I say. Got it?”

 

Naru swallowed. “Yeah, I think I got it,” She said, sweat beading on her forehead. Shino tilted his head.

 

“Are you sure? Because you said that last time, and you seemed to have forgotten it already,”

 

She glared up at him. Her arms crossed again. Kiba could see something brewing behind that face she was making. _How could two people possibly be so different? Naru is so loud and easy to read everybody always knows exactly what she’s thinking. Shino… well… Shino is Shino._

 

“Actually, I have a question,” She snapped, shifting her weight, leaning in and baring her teeth a little, “Are you always this pushy or were you reserving the ‘I don’t know what personal space is’ bit just for me?”

 

“Just for you,” He said, still in that deadly calm voice. She was obviously not thrilled by that answer. She seemed to be chewing on something else to say, and Kiba felt his anxiety spike. _If they start fighting this whole damn square mile of the woods will be blown to smithereens._

 

“Naru-chan! Come help me pitch this tent!” He called, waving her over frantically. She looked up at him, then back at Shino.

 

“That okay, Mr. Bossman? Or do you have anything you’d prefer me to do? Am I allowed to breathe without your permission?”

 

Shino straightened up and turned away. “For now,” He said. Naru bristled.

 

“Naru-chan!” Kiba barked, waving her over again. Naru scowled and stomped over. She knelt next to him and snatched the tent peg out of his hand. She drove it into the ground with her bare hand, then looked up at him.

 

“Where’s the next one?” She snapped, holding out her hand for the next peg. Kiba put it in her hand, and she walked a little way away and drove it into the ground too.

 

“Naru-chan, you really don’t have to butt heads with Shino-chan. He’s only the leader of this mission cause it’s about bugs,” He tilted his head, “I’m sure if it was more focused on fighting you’d be leader,”

 

Naru didn’t respond. She just pushed another spike into the ground. The Tent was starting to look like a shelter. Kiba took a deep breath.

 

“He’s not as bad as he seems, he’s just a little less used to people. I mean, you know how people are sometimes, they don’t like different,”

 

Naru looked up at him. “I’m not trying to stage a coup. I’m just not sure how to talk to Shino-san, that’s all,”

 

“Not sure…? Just talk to him the same way you talk to everyone,”

 

Naru shook her head. “I can’t. I can’t read him. How am I supposed to know what to say if I don’t know how he’s taking it?”

 

“Just say what you want to say, Naru-chan, why would you need to read someone to talk to them?”

 

Naru looked really confused. “But what if I say something really fucked up and hurt his feelings? Or if I say something he doesn’t like and then he hates me forever? I can’t just say shit to people!”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

Naru took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. “You know, it’s harder to explain than I figured. I thought everyone does it. When I’m talking to someone, I try to read what they’re feeling, so I know if I’m saying the right stuff. If I’m upsetting someone, I can stop and backtrack, you know, smile and wave. It stops people from getting uncomfortable. That way, people seem to like me more than if I just said everything I feel to everyone,” Kiba felt uneasy. Naru was looking at him, measuring his features like she always did.

 

“Isn’t that kinda like tricking people?”

 

Naru blinked. “Kiba-chan, I’m still always me. I’m not lying or anything. I just sometimes don’t tell people things they don’t want to hear. Don’t you ever leave stuff out when you talk to certain people?”

 

“I mean, yeah,”

 

“That’s all I’m doing. I’m just deciding how much I want people to know,” she frowned, “But I can’t tell with Shino-san. I can’t tell what he’s thinking,”

 

“Well you can start by using -chan, if that helps. Just... Treat him the same way you treat me, but maybe just a little less familiar. No full body tackling,”

 

Naru looked serious for a moment, but then laughed. “Heh, I’ll keep it to a minimum,” she winked, “Cant risk squashing any of his rare chickadas or whatever,”

 

”That is not how you say that word, but yeah,” Kiba laughed. They sat in silence for a little while before he looked up at her again. “Naru-chan?”

 

Naru looked up at him. “Sup?”

 

“What was Hokage-sama saying about you throwing stuff in the foundations of the things they’re building back home?”

 

Naru blinked at him again, obviously surprised. But then she grinned. “I throw potato chips into construction sites,”

 

Kiba stared at her. “Why… why would you do that?”

 

“Because, whenever anyone tells me I should eat less junk food, then I can turn to them and say “The leaf village is built on junk food,” and it won’t be a lie,”

 

Kiba took a deep breath. “Naru-chan… I… you know what, okay. That’s… Just… here,” He handed her the last tent peg. She was grinning.

 

“Come on, it’s funny!”

 

“That’s such a weird and elaborate joke that no one but you will understand,” He said, patting Akamaru’s head. Naru just grinned wider.

 

“I know but, ugh, I can’t wait to tell it,”

 

“It depends entirely on someone telling you to stop eating junk one day,” Kiba groaned. “It’s a setup for a punchline that’s not only going to be hopelessly obscure, but it might not ever happen,”

 

Naru pointed at him. “That’s a defeatist attitude and I expect more of you,”

 

“It’s just… its a bad joke, Naru-chan!”

 

“Hey!” She said, suddenly looking offended, “Don’t insult me like that. Some of the best jokes in history were obscure and weird. The greatest things on earth had humble beginnings. I mean… The leaf village is literally built on potato chips,”

 

Kiba felt a sudden overwhelming urge to strangle her as she fell backward, cackling at her own joke. But after a second of watching her turn red in the face from laughing, he couldn’t help but laugh too. They were still breaking out into fits of giggles as they all sat down to eat. Hinata was smiling, confused, and Shino was definitely annoyed, but neither he nor Naru tried to explain what was funny. He didn’t think he could even if he did try.

 

They cleaned up and got ready for bed. Hinata went into the woods to change into her pyjamas, but Naru did it right in the open. Well, she wasn’t really even in pyjamas, she was just in her boxers and a old tank top with holes in the hem and a burn mark on the side where she’d obviously been stabbed with something hot, given the scar that was occasionally visible through the hole. Kiba felt the strange and overwhelming urge to touch it. _Guess I’m not over this damn crush then._ He was maybe a little bitter at having lost out to Shikamaru and Sasuke, but it wasn’t that bad, really. Not when he could still have her as a friend. He realised what Shikamaru had meant in the forest. _If it’s never anything more than this, I’m okay with it._ He thought, grinning as she held a candle under her face and imitated Shino, badly. Even Hinata giggled. After a little while, Shino told them all to go to sleep and they settled, side by side, on their mats.

 

Kiba lay awake, staring at the roof of the tent, thinking about how Kankuro was doing. He probably wasn’t home yet. Was he under a tent? Or was he laying under the stars by a fire, listening to Temari talk about the leaf? Maybe he was already sleeping. Or maybe… maybe he was thinking about Kiba too.

 

Kiba grunted as Naru kicked her leg over him, snoring. He smiled. He was lucky to have so many people in his life he could count on. He stroked Akamaru absentmindedly. He had been right to be excited about this mission. _It was good to get away from everything for a little while._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Ignorance, Paramore
> 
> Shino: Crying Lightning, Arctic Monkeys (Guys... Guys... that BEAT THO)
> 
> Kiba: Girls/Girls/Boys, Panic! At The Disco (Bisexual anthem)


	103. Naru, And The Need To Start Shit For No Good Reason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru starts shit for no good reason. AGAIN.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is probably getting boring buuuuuuttt I like the murderous preteens bickering thing

Naru started awake. Kiba’s elbow was driving into her side and her bladder was about to explode. She wiggled into a sitting position and tiptoed past Shino and Kiba, ducking out of the tent and hot footing it into the forest. 

 

It took her a second before she heard it. The sound of something slapping against wet rock. She bristled. It would take someone pretty stealthy to sneak up in the squad she was currently a part of- even when they were asleep. Whoever was making that noise was either some hapless little creature or a very, very skilled ninja.

 

“Fucking shit. Punch things that need punching huh? At least I got to take a leak first, damn it all,” She snapped, walking toward the noise. She tucked her head low and crept from shadow to shadow. Slowly the person came into view. They were short, only a little taller than Naru, and performing the kind of acrobatics that chakra can only help so much. They moved with strength and intent, water spraying out around them as the practiced kicks that could probably take lives. Maybe it was the fact she was half asleep, or something about the person’s movements, but Naru just settled in and watched. After a while, and a series of frankly impressive kicks, Naru moved to draw closer, to try to catch a glimpse of the person’s face- Just as she did, a twig snapped underfoot, and the person gasped and disappeared. Naru stood, staring at the place they’d been, her heart thudding in her throat. She wasn’t sure for how long, maybe five minutes, maybe twenty, but her heart had stopped trying to break free of her ribs by the time she snuck back into the tent.

 

When she did, she noticed through the haze of tiredness enveloping her, that Hinata wasn’t there.

 

_ “Sasuke!” She screamed, chasing him up a spiral staircase. He was ignoring her, charging up the steps two at a time, putting more distance between them, until he was out of sight, and then… She slammed into a door, and kicked it open. She strode into a room with a red couch, and a large window. _

 

_ Kurama was watching her, sitting, his nine tails swishing behind him. “ _ **_HELLO KIT,”_ **

 

_ “Kurama. Hey,” She said, flopping onto the couch and running her fingers through her hair. The gesture pushed her headband off, but she caught it before it fell, letting it swing from her fingers as she brought her arms forward and placed her elbows on her knees. _

 

**_“THE UCHIHA BOY STILL TROUBLES YOU,”_ ** _ he said, two of his tails coming forward and wrapping around his feet, twitching against the ground. Naru frowned at him. _

 

_ “Lots of things trouble me, don’t worry too much about it,” _

 

_ “ _ **_FORGET ABOUT HIM. FORGET ABOUT FINDING A MATE. DEVELOP YOUR STRENGTH AND SEEK IMMORTALITY,”_ **

 

**_“_ ** _ Immortality is unappealing. But I do plan on getting stronger,” _

 

_ “ _ **_YOU NO LONGER CRAVE HUMAN COMPANIONS?”_ **

 

_ “I have plenty of human companions. I don’t need more. I especially don’t need a significant other getting underfoot right now. You know we’ll be training with Jiraiya for a few years, starting at the end of the month, right? I assume you were eavesdropping,” _

 

**_“MOST OF YOUR CONVERSATIONS BORE ME, BUT THAT PARTICULAR ONE… YES. I KNOW,”_ **

 

**_“_ ** _ Yeah well. There’s no point trying to pick up any chicks when I’m leaving town in three weeks. I’m just gonna churn out as many assignments as I can so I have some money and get lost. Say goodbye to everyone and hope they remember me when I come back,” _

 

**_“THEY WILL NOT FORGET YOU, MY CHILD,”_ ** _ Kurama rumbled. Naru pursed her lips, unconvinced. He narrowed his eyes. “ _ **_NO ONE COULD FORGET YOU, NOT IN THAT ACCURSED LEAF VILLAGE. YOU CARRY ME WITHIN YOU. YOU WILL LEAVE A DEEP MARK ON EVERY SOUL YOU MEET,”_ **

 

_ Naru looked up at him, her eyes flirting between each of his. “A good mark? Or a scar?” _

 

_ Kurama laughed. “ _ **_THAT DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON YOU,”_ **

 

Naru woke to a pillow being slammed hard into her face. She ripped it in half and pulled one half down over Kiba’s head, then headbutted him softly through it. He still tumbled backward. She squinted around the tent. Akamaru was yapping excitedly. It was just them, Hinata and Shino had already gotten up. Naru scrambled up and into a pair of trousers, pulling the pillow off Kiba’s head and dropping it on his chest. She ducked out of the tent and ran straight into Hinata, who was pushing dirt over the embers of their fire. Hinata almost fell forward into it, but Naru wrapped her hands around her waist and spun with her, setting her firmly on the ground facing away from the fire.

 

“Sorry, Hinata-chan, my bad. Not lookin where I’m goin,” She said, letting go quickly and holding her arms up. Hinata squeaked unintelligibly. Naru looked around. “Where’s Bug Boy?”

 

“I assume you mean me,” Shino said, walking around from behind the tent, slinging his bag over his shoulders.

 

“Yeah, I did. What’s poppin? we heading out?”

 

Shino paused, looking at her for a second like he expected her to say something else, then, when it became apparent she wasn’t going to, he nodded. “Yes. Take the tent down and pack it with Kiba-san as quickly as you can,” he turned toward the road, “We should get going as quickly as possible,”

 

Naru narrowed her eyes and frowned.  _ Talk to him like you talk to everyone.  _ But she didn’t just talk to people, she tried to get responses from people. How was she supposed to just talk to someone who didn’t respond? 

 

“Yes, Mr. Bossman sir,” She seized the chords from the tent and yanked, pulling all the pegs from the ground and sending the structure collapsing on Kiba, who began flailing and swearing. Shino looked back over his shoulder at Naru. 

 

“Stop messing around,”

 

“Make me,” She said, shooting him a crooked smile to rival Shikamaru’s. His eyebrows furrowed. Kiba burst out of the tent and grasped Naru’s ankle, yanking her to the ground. They started wrestling, Kiba quickly getting the upperhand by poking her hard in the ribs and pinning her. She couldn’t stop laughing long enough to break his grip.

 

“Both of you. Stop. This is… Ugh,” Shino groaned, putting his head in his hands. Hinata strode forward and yanked Kiba off of Naru by the back of his hoodie. She propped herself up on her elbows and grinned at the three of them. 

 

“That was not my fault,” She said, laughing and pointing at Kiba, “That was all him,”

 

“No, it was not!” Kiba barked, “You started it,”

 

“ _ I’ll  _ finish it, if the pair of you don’t grow up in the next thirty seconds,” Shino growled, turning to face them and making to stride forward. Kiba grinned and shuffled to the far side of the tent, wheeling in the chords and tying them off. Naru, however, just smirked up at Shino.  _ Okay. If I can’t tell anything else, then, I can tell if I’m pissing you off.  _

 

“How many times do I have to say ‘make me’ for you to understand that you can’t just boss me around,”

 

Shino stiffened. The sound of buzzing filled the clearing. Kiba groaned. “Why’d you need to go and say something like that?”

 

Shino stomped forward and grabbed Naru by the wrists, yanking her upright and facing her. She just looked up at him, insolent. It was the third time he’d gotten up in her face, and the effect was starting to wear off. She looked at the reflection of her eyes in his glasses and pulled her wrists out of his grip. “Come on, bug boy, whatcha gonna do?”

 

Shino reached up, unzipped his hoodie and parted it so that she could see the lower half of his face for the first time. Her eyes went wide and she took a step back. 

 

“Read. My. Lips. I am in charge. This is the  _ last _ time I am going to tell you that on this mission. If i have to say it again, I'll knock you out and just pick you up on the way back. For the next few days.  _ Days. Naruto-san. Days. _ For the next few days you _will_ do what I tell you to do. Not weeks. Not months. For a _few days_ just shut up, and do what you're told,” he said. Naru’s eyes were fixed on his lips, watching his voice come from an actual human mouth. She’d half expected his skin to be crawling with bugs or something. But no. He was entirely free of beetles, at least as far as she could see on the surface.

 

“Wow,” Naru said, leaning back and eyeing him, “uh, can you take your glasses off too?”

 

He grimaced at her and zipped his jacket back up. She pulled an exaggerated pouting face. 

 

“Come on Mr. Bossman! Just super quick, for me?”

 

“Pack up the tent,” He snapped, and then turned, looking at Kiba, “And you. I expected better from you,” He said, pointing at him. Kiba flushed and began rolling up the tent. Naru just scooted up beside Shino, grinning at him. 

 

“Come on, Shino-chan! Just a peek. One eye. Hell, even just an eyelid, it’s all I need,”

 

“Pleading is not going to work on me. I’m not in your fan club. Why are you so fixated on seeing my face?” He asked sharply. Naru hopped in front of him and started walking backward in front of him, still grinning cockily.

 

“I don’t have a fan club, just good friends, and I’m just curious. Why do you hide it? Is it so that you’re kinda _always_ incognito? Is it like, your family’s thing? Your face looked fine to me, so it can’t be cause you’re insecure- but if that’s it, then sorry, don’t mean to be insensitive, but you really shouldn’t be insecure, you _really do_ look fine- Is it the bugs? Do they like the dark? Do you have bugs for eyeballs or something? Is that why?”

 

“Why… Why do you talk so much?”

 

“Do you hate me, Shino-chan?”

 

“Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t hate you,” He said, waving her aside and trying to stride away, despite the fact she was buzzing with energy and obviously capable of keeping pace, “You’re just annoying. And you aren’t helping Kiba-chan with the tent,”

 

Naru moved around the back of him to his other side. “I don’t mind being annoying.  _ Some  _ people find my persistence endearing,”

 

“Not  _ me _ ,”

 

“Liar. You know you’re endeared,”

 

“I am not,”

 

“Are too. And Kiba-chan’s fine doing the tent by himself. How much further till we get to the beetles?”

 

“Cicadas,” Shino corrected, “and it’s only a kilometer and a half away. We’ll be there relatively soon. We would have been there sooner if you hadn’t decided to sleep in and then start a fight with Kiba-chan, and then me,”

 

Naru leaned in, still grinning, “But I like starting fights,”

 

He looked down at her. “We’re working. Be professional,”

 

“I’m professionally starting fights,”

 

“I will professionally finish them,”

 

“Will you two shut up already?” Kiba snapped, shoving the mess of tent supplies into his bag and grumbling under his breath. Hinata was holding the four rolled up sleeping mats and smiling good naturedly at them. Naru started.

 

“Hinata-chan I am so sorry! Here, let me help you with those!”

 

“Help her?” Kiba snapped, “Shino-chan told you to help  _ me _ ,”

 

Naru stuck out her tongue at him. “Hinata-chan didn’t  _ break my house _ before we left. You can fold a tent by yourself considering I’ll be living with a tarp over my window for a week,”

 

“You know what, I’m  _ glad _  I broke your window,” Kiba said, unable to hold back his smile. Naru smiled back.

 

“Whatever, dog boy,” She laughed, grabbing the mats from Hinata and pushing them behind her into her backpack straps. Hinata smiled at her. Kiba just pretended to be upset, shoving his nose into the air and marching off to walk next to Shino. Naru nudged Hinata.

 

“You know, I don’t know how you live with those two. You have the patience of two saints and a monk,”

 

Hinata laughed under her breath. “You know, it’s not so bad. I like them a lot, and we make a great team. It’s almost like family, you know,”

 

Naru paused, looking down at her feet and trying to push away the devastating sadness in her chest. “Yeah, I do,”

 

Hinata paused for a second, then covered her mouth. “Naru-chan, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean-”

 

“Don’t apologise, Hinata-chan, please,” Naru said, forcing herself to smile at the other girl, “Sasuke-kun is still family. Sure, maybe… maybe he’s the black sheep of the family and he ran away yelling that he was disowning us all, but he’s still  family,” Naru bit her top lip and shook her head, “always,”

 

Hinata nodded. They walked in a loaded silence for a few minutes, and then Hinata spoke again. “Uh, do you… do you remember the Chunin exams?” 

 

“Can’t fucking forget em. Why?”

 

“Remember when Sakura-san… Remember when I gave you those earrings?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Well, remember how afterward, we were all eating together, and we started talking about change, and you told me… you said to never do anything halfway, and to be myself- yourself, no matter what?”

 

Naru squinted, trying to remember, then nodded. “Yeah, I think I remember something like that, why?”

 

“Do you really think people can change? Like, a lot?” She asked, her words coming out in a rush. Naru shrugged.

 

“Depends on the person, but yeah, I think people can change a whole lot. Just look at Shikamaru-kun. He was bottom of the class, like me, and he was the first to become Chunin in our year. Or Sakura-chan, she was totally non combative last year. Now she punches people as much as I do,”

 

“...Or… or you,” Hinata said, her eyes flicking between the open air and Naru’s face. Naru just shrugged, offering Hinata a crooked grin. 

 

“I’m not convinced I’ve changed that much. Not compared with everyone else. I just took my jacket off. That’s about it,”

 

Hinata smiled again, and nodded. “Do you think… do you think  _ I _ could change?”

 

Naru grinned, throwing her arm around Hinata and dragging her down a little, till she was at her same height. “Hinata-chan, I think you can be anything you those dope-ass eyes of yours on, you just gotta grit your teeth and do it. And when you're done, I'll be here to high-five you,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: What Were you Expecting, Halestorm
> 
> Kiba: Fat Lip, Sum 41
> 
> Shino: Here's Your Freakin Song, Bowling For Soup ( I'm so sorry but this is so funny to me)
> 
> Hinata: Every Day's The Weekend, Alex Lahey


	104. Shino, And Rope Burn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shino can't stand this girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru is doing stupid stuff so that she doesn't have to feel sad about her BFF

Shino was slowly coming to the realisation that Naru was an attention seeker. She was loud, she picked fights and she played pranks because she wanted attention. Well. She’d have to get used to being ignored. _We're on a mission, not hanging out, and maybe team seven is willing to break professional courtesy, but team eight_ is _not._

 

“You better stop!” Kiba yelled, chasing Naru with a stick as she cartwheeled away from him, then clambered up into a tree, perching on a tree branch, kicking her legs as she dangled his weapons pouch over his head and laughing.  _I spoke too soon._

 

“Naru-san, get down from there,” Shino said. She dropped Kiba’s pouch and he caught it, and she smiled at Shino.

 

“Are we nearly there yet?” she asked, resting her elbows on her knees and her chin in her hands. Shino crossed his arms. He hadn’t been this annoyed since the Chunin exams. Naru really had a talent for pissing people off.

 

“Nearly. You’re holding us up,”

 

“No, you are,” She said, leaping down out of the tree and landing in front of him. He stepped back from her and narrowed his eyes. 

 

“No, you… you’re literally holding us up. I swear you’re making this so much harder than it has to be. We’re less than a half mile out, can you just walk like a normal person for ten minutes?”

 

Naru just rolled her eyes and threw up her hands. “It’s a no fun zone, kids! No fun allowed, by order of Shino-chan,”

 

Shino just shook his head and turned away, walking forward. Naru started doing cartwheels again, looping around him and back. Shino just stuck his hands in his pockets and pretended he didn’t notice the gymnastic display she was putting on. Kiba was trying hard not to laugh as she began flipping head over heels over and over again. 

 

Hinata was watching her, her head tilted, her mind obviously elsewhere as Naru started walking on her hands, drawing up next to Shino. Was she doing all this just because she was bored? Was she trying to get even more of a rise out of him? Was she actually this stupid?

 

“Walk properly, Naru-san,” He growled. Naru looked up at him. 

 

“How come?” She said, the blood obviously rushing to her head. Shino looked down at her. 

 

“Just trust me. You’ll want to see where you’re going for this next part,”

 

She looked like she was about to say something, then she planted her hand solidly on a rock that crumbled away and began sliding down a steep cliff, into the valley where the bugs gathered. Shino caught her ankle and held her out over the edge, tucking his chin lower into his jacket so that she couldn’t see him smirk. 

 

“See? You should listen to me,” He said, still holding her out over the edge by her foot. She just painted for breath and smiled.  _ So not only is she an attention seeking mess, she’s an adrenaline junkie too. Great. Just what I needed. _

 

“You could have warned me,” she laughed breathlessly, peering up at him, red faced. He shrugged.

 

“I thought I had,”

 

“Nah, you definitely didn’t,”

 

“My bad,” Shino said, still smirking.  _ It’s probably not great that I’m enjoying this. _

 

“Hey, Shino-chan?” 

 

“Yes?”

 

“Could you, maybe, put me down?” Naru said, grinning now, and reaching toward the edge of the cliff. Shino hummed.

 

“Ask politely,”

 

Naru’s eyes shot wide and she flushed even darker red. Kiba groaned and covered his face. Hinata made a little noise of protest- but Shino just kept looking at Naru’s face. She was chewing on her top lip and looking at the ground below her like she was weighing the risks of falling head first from this height. Shino was trying very, very hard not to smile.

 

“Please, Shino-chan, put me on solid ground?” She finally said. Shino swung her sideways and dropped her unceremoniously. Naru leapt up and dusted herself off, glancing at the other two before looking up at Shino. 

 

“I liked the specification there, but I wouldn’t have dropped you, even if you hadn’t said please,” He said, keeping his voice steady. Naru’s face was still red.

 

“So why’d you make it seem like you would?” She snapped. Shino turned around and stepped backward so he was standing on the very edge of the cliff. 

 

“It’s nice to use your manners. And I wasn’t sure if anyone had ever taught you to,” He said quietly, before stepping backward off the cliff and planting his hand there, controlling the speed of his fall using chakra. He looked up and saw Hinata and Kiba following him the same way. 

 

A few seconds passed, and he was almost beginning to worry about Naru, until she leapt off the cliff completely without aid. His heart almost stopped.  _ That idiot! What is she doing? _

 

As she plummeted past him, he could hear her whoop triumphantly, and he watched as she pulled out a rope and threw it over a tree branch, yanking herself to a slower speed at the expense of what was most likely all the skin on her palms, but thudding to the ground non-fatally. She was cracking up when they all landed on the ground and strode over to her. Hinata pulled out a jar of her ointment and uncapped it as she walked toward Naru. Kiba was laughing.

 

“Where do you get off on doing shit like that, you lunatic?” He asked, pulling her to her feet. Naru just grinned up at him.

 

“Well I made it down first, so that means I won, right?”

 

“No,” Shino snapped. Naru smiled up at him as Hinata sighed and started to spread ointment on her bloody hands. Kiba froze, inhaling deeply through his nose. He glanced at Shino.

 

“Hey, are any of your guys around here?” He asked, in a would be casual way. Shino tensed.

 

“No. There’s no one here,” He said. He glanced at Naru, and shook his head incrementally. Kiba nodded in silent understanding.

 

“Okay, awesome,” He grinned, putting Akamaru down at his side and clearing his throat. Shino sent out seven beetles to surveil the area. He looked down to see Hinata had quietly activated her Byakugan while tending to Naru’s wounds. He was glad that they’d been working together for so long. He wondered if other teams worked so seamlessly. He glanced at Naru, who was chatting easily with Kiba, completely unaware that all three people surrounding her had detected _someone_ watching them. He wondered if she was being dense, or if her ignorance was a sign that they were actually successful in their attempt to be stealthy. His mouth twitched.  _ Could be both. _

 

“We should spread out and search. Naru-san, you stick with Hinata-chan. Hinata-chan… try to make sure she doesn’t step on anything important,” He made brief eye contact with Kiba, “And be careful. You all have your pictures?”

 

“Yeah,”

 

“Yes!”

 

“Uh-huh, and I’m not blind. I don’t just go stomping around with my eyes closed,”

 

Shino turned away and scoffed. “You just did a handstand off a cliff,”

 

Naru just let out a loud, obnoxious laugh. “Good luck, Hinata-chan,” Shino said, “You’ll need it,”

 

Shino walked away. An hour or so of searching passed. It almost seemed like this was going to work, that they’d actually manage to get something constructive done, until he heard a high pitched scream and the snapping of twigs as someone began crashing through the underbrush not far from him. His mind immediately went to the humans Kiba had sensed and he spun around, beetles pouring from his sleeves as the crashing noise came closer. Naru came into view and leapt on him, causing him to stagger and almost fall. He caught her, noticing that she was shaking like a leaf. There was a moment of awkward silence and then Naru turned and looked at him. 

 

“I thought you were Kiba-chan,”

 

“Well… I’m not. Why did you scream and jump on me?” He asked, trying to decide if he would drop her or not. She grit her teeth.

 

“Uh…”

 

“What?” He grunted, aggravation in his voice. 

 

She flushed, scowling at him. “There was a massive fucking spider, okay?” 

 

Shino looked up just as Hinata came jogging up toward them, looking guilty. He dropped Naru without warning. She grunted when she hit the ground and sprung to her feet again, an embarrassed expression on her red face. Hinata covered her mouth, ineffectually hiding the fact she was laughing. Shino frowned at Naru.

 

“You’re frightened of spiders?” He asked coldly. Naru grimaced.

 

“No, I just don’t like them,” She snapped. Shino rolled his eyes, which she, of course, couldn’t see.

 

“You don’t run screaming from something just because you don’t like it,” He said, as calmly as he could muster. She turned even redder.

 

“I just wasn’t expecting to see a spider that big! Okay!”

 

“How big was the spider, Hinata-chan?” Shino asked, looking at her. Hinata steeled herself and lowered her hand.

 

“About… this big,” She said, holding her two hands side by side and spreading her fingers. Naru glanced at her and shuddered. Shino grimaced, resisting the urge to go and try to find it.  _Follow the objective._

 

He handed Naru a small aerosol cannister. She frowned down at it. “What’s this?” She asked. Shino took a deep breath.

 

“My family’s personal bug spray. Use this on yourself if you feel the urge to come and bother me again,” Shino said, crossing his arms. Naru looked up at him with wide eyes and grinned.

 

“Thanks Shino-chan, this is actually really nice of you,” 

 

“It’ll repel everything, though, Including the Ashwinder, so don’t use it unless you really need to,”

 

“I got it, I got it,”

 

“And don’t bother me again,” He emphasized. Hinata caught his attention in the background, activating her byakugan and frowning. He turned his head in her direction. 

 

“Shino-chan,” She said, her voice lower than usual and very serious, “I think you should keep Naru-chan with you,” 

 

Shino felt something shrivel in his chest, but realised what she was saying. He was being marked, and his seven beetles hadn’t returned. Naru furrowed her brow.

 

“Hinata-chan, what the hell?” She said, looking a little hurt. Hinata turned to her and put on an apologetic face. 

 

“Naru-chan, Shino-chan will be able to keep spiders away from you, meaning you wouldn’t have to use the bug spray. It’s just a better way to split up,”

 

“Why don’t I just… go by myself, like Kiba-chan?”

 

“Because you’re no use at tracking,” Shino said, his voice cold as he sent out two more beetles to try to gather some information other humans. “And you’re here as a bodyguard and not much else, so you wouldn’t be any use if you couldn’t get to us in time,”

 

Naru blinked. “Fair point,” She said, frowning, “But why would anyone need a bodyguard here? There’s nothing but bugs,“

 

“Oh, I don’t know, Naru-san,” Shino sneered, “you seem to need one. After all, there’s a spider behind you again,” 

 

Naru squeaked and stumbled forward, spinning and bumping into him again. There was nothing there. Shino couldn’t help but let out a chuckle.

 

“Like I said, you don’t run away screaming from things you just don’t like,”

 

Naru looked up at him darkly. “I’m about to run away screaming from you,”

 

“Finally getting the gist of it, then, Naru-san?” 

 

Her expression wavered, then broke into another smile. She reached up and poked him in the forehead, squarely in the center of the leaf on his headband. “Are you accusing me of having sense?” She laughed. Hinata giggled too. Shino backed up, away from her, and frowned.

 

“Just... watch where you're going, will you?” He snapped, turning and moving away.

 

Naru just waved goodbye to Hinata and followed after him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Gimme Brains, Bratmobile
> 
> Shino: Champagne For My Real Friends, Real Pain For My Sham Friends, Fall Out Boy


	105. Naru, And Her Very Own Brand Of Kryptonite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru gets mad. shocker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so, we're just gonna have to power through this bad writing here and ask for forgiveness.
> 
> I'm less than thrilled here tbh but hopefully I'll make up for it later

“There’s no fighting this- It’s impossible. This is the end for me... Tell Sakura-chan that I’m sorry I could never fulfill my promise to her, and that… I love her,” Naru groaned, laying on the ground, staring up at the sky, then closing her eyes. “Goodbye, cruel, cruel world,”

 

“You aren’t dying,” Shino snapped, kneeling a few feet away, closely examining a beetle, “You’re just bored,”

 

“Nope, I’ve come pretty damn close to dying, this is worse than that. I can’t ever recover. It’s the end,” She said, sitting up and pointing at him. As she did, a tiny bug buzzed by her ear and toward Shino. He focused on it briefly then leapt to his feet. He stared around them and gestured frantically for Naru to stand. She stared at him. 

 

“What is it?” She asked. He just shook his head and grasped her hand, pulling her to her feet. She glanced around them quickly, but he took off running before she could even have a good look. 

 

She sprinted after him, drawing even and ducking around a tree. He glanced at her. “Can you keep very quiet for a few minutes? It’s important,”

 

She nodded, looking around them again. He nodded back at her. 

 

“Then follow me,” He hissed, taking a sudden right, like he was trying to shake someone off. Naru scrambled after him. They zigzagged through the trees, and then slid to a halt under a strange stone outcropping. Shino looked around. “Make clones of us,” He said. Naru hesitated for a second, then snapped her hands together and produced them. She looked up at Shino again.

 

“Okay, now send them off to the north east,” He said, glancing at his clone. They nodded and left. “You’re really taking that be quiet thing seriously,” He commented. She pulled a face at him.

 

“You said it was important,” She whispered. He hesitated for a second, then spoke in a low voice.

 

“One of my beetles came into contact with some Cicadas,”

 

“Why didn’t we head straight there then?” She hissed. He looked around them again, then grabbed her upper arm.

 

“We’re being followed,” He said. She tensed. 

 

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier?” She snapped, clenching her fists and looking around. Shino shook his head.

 

“You would have given us away. But now, with any luck, they’re following your clones and we can go get the cicadas,”

 

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go catch some bugs,” Naru said, bouncing on the balls of her feet and smiling. Shino hesitated for a second, and then leapt upward into the trees. Naru followed him and within a few minutes, they were near another sharp cliff face. Naru froze, remembering that Shino had said she would probably crush bugs underfoot. She stared at the ground, but couldn’t see anything. 

 

“Shino-chan,” She hissed as he kneeled a few feet away and began scanning through the grass. He ignored her. “Shino-chan!”

 

“What?” He snapped, looking up at her. She bit her top lip. 

 

“What if I squash one?”

 

“Just stand still and you won’t,” He snapped, turning back to the bugs he’d called out and examining them. Naru grunted under her breath and shifted her weight awkwardly. It was probably fifteen minutes before Shino made a little noise.

 

“There you are,” He whispered, picking up a fairly large bug and dropping it into a little clear box. He tucked it delicately into his bag, and looked up at Naru. “You and I need to be entirely covert now. This is a female. The males are slightly smaller, and they make a different noise, higher pitched. They’re most active later in the day, and it’s getting hotter, which will bring them out,”

 

“Okay,”

 

“That means you have to be quiet, and careful,”

 

“Okay,”

 

“And you have to follow my orders,”

 

“ _ I got it,  _ Shino-chan,” Naru growled. His cheeks twitched, and for a second she thought he might be smiling, but then he spoke, and his voice was just as even as always.

 

“Just clarifying, I know you tend to have trouble with this kind of thing,”

 

“I don’t have trouble with anything,” She said, following him back into the cover of the trees, “Don’t you think we should try to find Hinata-chan and Kiba-chan, tell them what’s going on?”

 

“They both know what’s going on,” He said, drawing closer so that they could keep whispering, “You were the only person who couldn’t sense them,”

 

Naru felt panic rise in her chest. “Then why did we split up? They could be in danger-”

 

“Listen,” Shino cut her off, holding up his hand, like Jiraiya did. She snapped her mouth shut. “These people seem to be marking me specifically, I have reason to believe that they are also after the Ashwinders. That means they’re not going to follow Kiba-chan or Hinata-chan. That’s why Hinata-chan wanted you to come with me. She seems to think I need backup,” Naru narrowed her eyes at the implication that she wouldn’t be useful to him in a fight. “The only people at risk here are you and I, because if they are after the Ashwinder…”

 

“We’re the only people who have one,” Naru whispered, her eyes flying wide again. Shino gave her a small nod. “So what  _ is _ our next move?”

 

“Well, they seem to be killing my beetles. I’ve sent out several on recon, and only two have returned. I know there are three of them, I know they’re marking me closely, and I know that at least two of them were diverted by the clones,”

 

“What about the third?”

 

“I already told you. They’re killing my beetles. I don’t know where the third is,”

 

Naru bit her top lip. “Maybe I should…”

 

Shino shot her a look. “You should  _ follow orders _ . I’m leading this mission. I know a lot more about you than you think I do. Kiba-chan never shuts up about the stuff you do, after all. I know you’re already considering some weird, self-sacrificing scheme, but listen to me. I will not take losses, I will not let you take damage, and I will  _ not _ have you hijacking this mission so you can act the hero, do you hear me?”

 

“Yeah, I gotcha,” She said, glaring at him.  _ Self-sacrificing… What kinda shit has Kiba been talking?  _ Shino grunted his disbelief, and dropped to the ground. Naru followed him, and watched as he looked around and strode in a seemingly random direction.  _ All this bug shit is going over my head. _ Naru thought bitterly as she followed him, struggling through underbrush Shino could just step over. She blinked, and for a second, she felt panic rise in her chest. Sasuke was in front of her, striding easily away as she was caught on thistles, straining to reach him. Her breath caught in her throat.  _He's leaving again. He's gone. He's not coming back and he doesn't care about me any more._

 

Then she blinked, and Shino was standing in front of her. “You’re wildly incompetent. Hey. I'm talking to you." She heaved for breath, her hands shaking, "Naru-san? … Are you okay?” He asked, his brows twitching downward. Naru shook her head and put on an annoyed expression, holding back the tears threatening to pour over her cheeks.

 

“Yeah, I’m fine,”

 

“Because you went still and started breathing heavily,” He said, tilting his head. She kicked out at the plants stuck to her trousers and felt a thorn cut her leg. 

 

“I’m fine,” She repeated under her breath, shaking her head again and blinking quickly. Shino shrugged and yanked her out of the tangled plants. She grunted unhappily as he set her down. He turned back around. 

 

“You know, I expected more from the second person in our year to become a Chunin,”

 

Naru turned felt anger rise up in her stomach, and Kurama stirred. She glowered up at Shino. “You really piss me off, you know that?” She growled, stomping up to him and poking him hard in the chest. A buzzing noise filled the air as he looked down at her. 

 

“The feeling’s mutual,” He said in that calm, uncaring tone of voice he  _ always  _ spoke in. Naru felt her restraint begin to crumble.  _ Mission first, mission first, this isn’t Sasuke you’re talking to. Get a handle on yourself! _

 

“I’m a perfectly respectable Ninja, you know? I’m capable of a lot more than what you’ve seen and you gotta put up with working with me if you like it or not,”

 

“Well, I  _ don’t _ like it,” Shino snapped. He crossed his arms and she could just  _ tell _ he was scowling down at her, “You’re noisy, stupid, and annoying  _ and _ you aren’t even that strong, at least, not from what I’ve seen so far. All you’ve done is hold us up and start fights. I fail to see why everyone is crawling all over you. You’re just a massive pain in the a-” Shino froze, then looked up, surprise all over what Naru could see of his face. Naru grabbed his sleeve.

 

A quiet thud sounded, and a whistle. Naru threw Shino down and stepped back over him, whipping out two Kunai from her weapons pouch and deflecting the needles that had shot at them.

 

“Now is NOT a good time! Can’t you see we’re having a  _ conversation  _ here?” She yelled as a woman landed in front of her. The woman straightened up and smirked as she was flanked by two larger men.

 

“Oh sorry, are we interrupting something?” She sneered. She held out a hand. “Now hand over the Ashwinder, before someone gets hurt,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Liability, Lorde
> 
> Shino: Death Valley, Fall Out Boy


	106. Shino, Grab The Popcorn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shino watches Naru fight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> buzz off, freak show

Shino was staring up at Naru’s back.  _ How the hell did these idiots sneak up on me? I had a perimeter going. I thought I knew where they were. They must be pretty damn good with bugs if they knew how to circumvent my beetles.  _

 

“I thought your guard would be down, considering. Not that I wasn’t  _ enthralled _ by the proceedings,” the strange woman sneered, flipping her hair. She was wearing fairly standard shinobi gear, with the inclusion of large, obnoxious clan crests, but Shino didn’t recognise them. She had dark hair tied back from her face and a smirk that was obviously driving Naru crazy. The younger girl was white-knuckling her knives and snarling. There was something weird happening in the air. His bugs were going haywire. “Obviously I was _ half  _ wrong,”

 

Naru glanced down at Shino, and shook her head, like she was trying to clear it. He noticed her pupils had become animal-like vertical slits. Her teeth seemed sharper, and the scars on her face were deeper and darker.

 

“I assume you did something to his beetles,” She snapped. The other woman grinned.

 

“Oh so you aren’t  _ that _ stupid,” she said, bringing her hands out in front of her, “But still, you’re caught, so… I guess you’re gonna die anyway,”

 

Shino slid out from under Naru and leapt to his feet. “Duck,” He said, holding his arms out. Naru dropped, sliding forward and kicking up at the woman as she performed a handsign Shino hadn’t seen before. The stranger was knocked back as wasps poured out of her hands. They clashed in midair with Shino’s beetles, and Naru jumped on the woman, bringing a fist down toward her face. The woman flinched out of the way, and Shino was shocked to see a crater form behind her head where Naru’s fist had hit.  _ So she is pretty strong then. _ Wasps descended on them. Naru was forced back, and sliced through the air with her knives. One or two wasps fell, but she wasn’t a match for a swarm. Shino caught her eye. She grinned that over-confident, crooked grin at him. 

 

“Hey, Mr. Bossman!”

 

“What?” He snapped, pushing back at the two henchman who’d been flanking the woman. Naru winked at him.

 

“Cover me,” 

 

He levelled a hand at her, and sent a small swarm to surround her. His beetles clashed with the wasps that had been closing in on her, and she sprinted through the cloud of insects toward the woman again, just as the two men set in on Shino. They were low level shinobi. He easily kept them at bay as he watched Naru drop onto her back and slide between the enemy Kunoichi’s legs, pulling something from her weapons pouch and angling it at her. She pressed down a nozzle, and they were both engulfed in a foul smelling cloud. Shino felt shock fill his body.  _ What kind of yellow-headed nonsense…  _ The woman coughed and staggered back.

 

“Poison gas?” She gasped. Naru chuckled as she leapt to her feel and tossed the can of Shino’s bug spray up in the air and caught it. 

 

“Nope, but good luck talking to your creepy crawlies now you intolerable hag,” she laughed. The woman held out her hands, but her wasps didn’t come. She gestured wildly, but nothing responded. Shino smiled to himself.  _ Not bad, Uzumaki. _

 

“So be it, I’ll slaughter you both with my bare hands!” She snapped, sliding into a defensive pose. Naru brought her fists up to her face and beamed, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

 

“You kiddin me? Punching losers like you is what I’m  _ here _ for!”

 

They sprung at each other and the sound of thudding joined the cacophony of insect wings and pained grunting. This stranger was skilled- maybe even Jonin level, but Naru was matching her blow for blow. Her teammates, obviously, were long range fighters, but nothing of theirs could touch Shino, not with his swarm at the size it currently was. 

 

He watched as Naru deflected the leader’s blows, dodged her weapons, and matched her speed. The air was moving a little oddly, and any wasps the woman tried to release were just flying around her, never getting too close. Shino directed his attention to the two men, one of whom seemed to be preparing for a higher level attack. Shino sent a swell at him and had his beetles suffocate him quickly. He watched until he could be sure the man was going to die then looked back at Naru, trying to decide if she needed backup or not. She was doing backflips away from the woman as she had summoned weapons that looked like giant stingers and was swinging them out at her. He wanted to send out some beetles to help his teammate, but she was covered in repellent, and he needed a lot of his remaining swarm to subdue the still-breathing ninja. He was summoning larger, more dangerous wasps now.  When Shino looked over again, Naru was swinging. Her punches and kicks mainly missed their marks, she was largely inaccurate, but wherever she struck, she left a mark. One of her kicks scarred a tree worse than he’d even seen Kiba do with fang over fang, and she just seemed to be getting faster, more angry. She was growling something, but it was no longer comprehensible language, just expressions of unbridled rage. Shino was left with nothing but the impression of beast-like power. 

 

He shifted, dodging some poisioned darts, glad he’d taken one of the men out before they had time to take him too seriously. Naru was… interesting to watch. He would have been sorry to miss what was happening with her fight. She was climbing up trees on all fours now, leaping from trunk to ground to branch and back, striking the woman at random, making it impossible to anticipate her moves. But something was wrong. She seemed to be bristling. He could see a very faint reddish glow around her.  _ But chakra isn’t visible. At least, not to me. Of all the times to be separated from Hinata.  _

 

Shino was confident, and he wanted a better view, so he pulled back. He climbed up and watched as Naru attacked the stranger with nothing but Taijutsu. One hit after another, until he was sure the woman was nursing some serious injuries. She was slowing, and she had no hope of landing an equalising blow with how fast Naru was keeping up her barrage. All this, and it was obvious Naru wasn’t even feeling tired. She was laughing, but her voice was lower, and hoarser. Shino watched as she landed a punch squarely in the woman’s stomach, forcing her upward, and sending blood spewing out of her mouth and onto Naru’s sandals. 

 

_ That quick, huh? Guess she’s not just a blundering adrenaline junkie after all. I wouldn’t wanna be on the receiving end of one of those punches, that’s for sure. _

 

He leapt down, sending all his remaining insects to swarm and detain the last man of the squad. Naru was laughing, dragging the woman up by her arms, her eyes red, her expression feral. “Aah, least expected my ass,” She cackled in her new, hoarse voice, “I strike any fucking time I want,” She yanked outward cruelly, and the woman’s shoulders dislocated with a sickening popping sound and a scream. Naru let her crumple to the ground.  _ Now that’s not something I’d expect from her. What’s happening here? _

 

“Naru-san?” Shino said cautiously, as Naru turned to the last enemy left standing, and began walking toward him. Shino frowned. “Naru-san! Control yourself!” 

 

Naru looked up at him, her smile fading, her eyes dulling back to a human blue. She blinked. Her pupils shrank back to little round dots.

 

“Naru-san,” Shino said, looking at her, trying to suppress the swell of unbidden concern in his chest. She looked a little shell shocked. 

 

“Shino-chan… Want me to kill him for you?” She asked, pointing at the last man, who was standing in a cloud of bugs, obviously petrified. Shino glanced at him. 

 

“No, no, I’ve got him,” He said. He made a flicking motion with his hand, and his beetles poured into the man’s eyes, nose, and mouth, muffling his agonised screams and sending him to the ground, kicking and struggling as he died. Naru nodded. “Are you okay?” He asked her, “You looked a little odd there for a moment,”

 

Naru shook her head, then put her hands on her hips. “I  _ always _ look odd,”

 

“You’re not lying,” He said. He looked over the two dead men and the incapacitated woman. “I hadn’t seen you fight in a while. You’re faster than you were before,”

 

“I’ve never seen you fight, you were amazing! Totally sick! I can see why Baa-chan made you leader of this mission,” She admitted, grinning up at him. Suddenly she frowned and looked down at herself. “But now I can’t be around to help you find the loud bug. Damn,”

 

Shino blinked.  _ I didn’t even do anything. I just held them back at watched her. But she’s right, there’s no hope of finding the Cicada with her doused in repellant.  _ “Mm,” he chewed his bottom lip. There weren’t any nullifiers for the bug spray. It was just there until it wore off. She really wasn’t any use now. 

 

“Well if that was all three of the intruders, then I can wait at the rendezvous point and set up camp. If you want,” She said, shrugging. Shino hesitated. An hour ago he would have jumped on the offer of some quiet,  and for Naru to do what she was told, but after seeing her fight he honestly wanted to ask her questions. He had to get things done though. It was a mission. He needed to find the cicadas. 

 

“Yeah, take the live one with you,” he said. She nodded and picked her up by one of her dislocated arms, causing the woman to scream and pass out from pain. 

 

“Okay. Catch you back at camp then,” She said with that half assed smile she always wore when she was saying goodbye. Then she leapt away, slinging the enemy woman over her shoulder like a rucksack. Shino frowned. 

 

He hadn’t expected her to grow on him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Fences, Paramore (can you feel it? my emo phase)
> 
> Shino: Death Valley, Fall Out Boy


	107. Naru, Self Sacrificing Bullshit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru kills two people in this chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spoilers I guess

Naru was laying on her back by the fire she’d started, singing quietly to herself. It was something she did often, but only when she was sure she was alone. Well, she was alone save for the groaning enemy ninja she’d tied to a tree. 

 

 The woman snapped after a few more minutes, “You’re off key,”

 

Naru looked over at her, watching her through the flames of her campfire. The light made the stranger look more menacing than she was. Naru threw a Kunai at her, and it stuck in the tree behind her head.

 

“It’s your fault I’m not out there with Shino-chan finishing off this mission. You’d do well to keep your fat mouth shut,” Naru growled, glaring at her. She laughed.

 

“You should be thanking me, brat,” She sneered, resting her sweaty forehead against the handle of the kunai that Naru had thrown. “I saved your life,”

 

“What?” Naru asked, her voice going cold. She got to her feet. The woman just snorted. Her eyes were hooded, she looked a little delirious, probably from the pain of having dislocated arms bound behind her. 

 

“You think we came here alone? You really are stupid. We just splintered off your main tail. Those copies of yours were good, but I’m guessing they disappeared while you fought me. Your Aburame friend… Shino, you called him? He’s probably already dead, and the Kamizuru clan are in possession of the Ashwinder. We’ll nuke this place once we draw out too, and we’ll have complete control over the most powerful toxin antidote in existence,” She smiled. Naru was shaking.

 

“What did you just say to me?”

 

“Your friends are all as good as dead,” She said, before she started cracking up, her sweaty face tilting upward as Naru trod closer to her. When Naru was standing directly in front of her, she pulled the knife from the tree and snarled down into her face.

 

“Die laughing, you stupid hag,” She spat, grabbing the woman’s hair and cutting her throat. She stepped back as the blood poured out over them both. 

 

_ Kurama!  _ She thought, turning on the spot as the woman bled out,  _ Kurama! Answer me! I need help! _

 

**_WHAT IS IT? I WAS SLEEPING, BRAT._ **

 

_ Where’s Shino? You gotta help me find Shino! He’s in danger! _

 

**_THE BUG BRAT? LEAVE HIM THERE. HE UNDERESTIMATED OUR POWER._ **

 

_ Not exactly a crime worthy of the death penalty. Kurama, please! I have to save him! _ She gasped, realising that she had been holding her breath since she’d last spoken aloud. Kurama made a rumbling growl, and all of a sudden she could feel the pulse of chakra in her bones. She shuddered as it washed over her. 

 

**_YOU CAN LIKELY GUESS WHICH SIGNATURE IS THE BUG’S._ **

 

_ Shino isn’t a bug. _

 

**_ALL HUMANS ARE INSECTS TO ME._ **

 

_ I’m not an insect! _

 

**_ALL HUMANS SAVE FOR YOU, KIT OF MINE._ **

 

_ Better. Not great, but better. Now go back to sleep. I’m gonna find and save Shino. _ She thought, wiping the blood splatter off her face and smiling. 

 

**_ONE DAY YOU WILL LEARN TO LEAVE MEN TO THEIR FATES, LITTLE ONE._ **

 

_ One day you’ll learn to mind yours. Bye. _

 

She took off into the trees and closed her eyes, feeling for the different chakra signatures. The grinding, grating one was Kiba and Akamaru, off to the north. There was a gentle, breezy rush coming from the south that could have belonged to Shino, but then she felt it. Wavering, like someone waving their hand quickly over a small hole in a dam.  _ That’s Shino, it’s inconsistent because the beetles feed on his chakra. That’s gotta be him! _ It was south east, and she took off, moving as quickly as she could. He couldn’t be far. He would be moving slowly, searching for the cicadas. But had he already been caught? Was he already fighting for his life against the Kamizurus? 

 

She broke a branch kicking off it too hard. She heard it thud to the ground as she rocketed away.  _ A bad omen? Am I just overthinking? _

 

She could feel herself draw close and Shino came into view. She dropped to the ground and sprinted toward him, he looked up just as she leapt forward, full body tackling him to the ground. As she did, she felt a needle slice the side of her throat. They thudded to the soft dirt, and Shino swore loudly.

 

“Naruto Uzumaki, what on earth do you think you’re doing?” He snarled, struggling under her weight and pushing up at her. She knelt over him, smiling down at him.

 

“Oh good,” She said, “I made it in time,” 

 

He looked like he was about to say something when the blood from her neck dripped down onto his face. She twitched and put her hand to the side of her neck.

 

“Whoops. Sorry,” She said, turning to face the two remaining Kamizuru clan members as they dropped down into sight. One woman one man. “You got me there, you dirty wasp fuckers,”

 

Shino sat up and scrambled out from under Naru. She pushed down harder on the wound under her fingers, feeling the stickiness of blood coating her hand.  _ Hope it doesn’t get on these trousers. They’re my last good pair. There’s really only so much seltzer water and lemon can do. _

 

“Naru-chan, you’re bleeding!” Shino hissed. She hummed.

 

“Really? Hadn’t noticed,” She joked, flashing him a smile. He didn’t look like he thought it was very funny. She turned back as the blonde woman spoke.

 

“So, you’re the brats who killed our brothers-“

 

“Are they literally your brothers, or are you just cousins or something? Wait, are they both? Ew. Isn’t that illegal?”

 

“No- What? No I meant figuratively, you idiot boy-“

 

“I might be an idiot, but at least I don’t have any cousin-brothers, you nasty,” Naru snapped, tentatively reducing the pressure on her neck. Blood began pouring thickly down her chest and she pressed down again.  _ Must have nicked something important in there. Damn it!  _

 

“You little- Oh who cares,” She sneered, bringing her hands out in front of her, “You’ll be dead soon anyway,” 

 

“That sounds a lot like what that other lady said,” Naru sneered, struggling to her feet while keeping pressure on her neck, “Guess who wound up biting the dust? Or should I say the steel?” she paused. “nope, sorry everyone, it sounded better in my head. I killed her. That’s what I’m getting at. She’s dead,”

 

The woman looked infuriated. “You grimy little,”

 

Naru drew a knife with the hand that wasn’t holding the wound in her neck closed and spun it on her finger. Shino made a noise of protest.

 

“Naru-chan stop, I’ve got this, get back,”

 

“No you get back, Shino-chan,” She snapped, pressing her hand down harder on her neck and glancing at him, “You have an ashwinder in your bag and your swarm shrank a lot in that last fight. You need to get out of here and find Hinata-chan and Kiba-chan,”

 

Shino blinked up at her. “I told you, didn’t I?” He got to his feet and looked up at the Kamizuru ninja, “No damage, no self sacrifice,” 

 

“Sorry about the damage thing,” She laughed, lifting her hand away again and revealing the bleeding had slowed to a steady trickle, “Guess I’m just a rebel,”

 

“Not a rebel, just an asshole,” Shino snapped, levelling his hands at the enemy. Naru snorted.

 

“Probably both,” She grabbed a kunai in her bloody hand and grinned at the two people in front of her. “Thanks for being so patient, now it’s time to die,”

 

“Who do you want?” The man asked the woman. She narrowed her eyes at Naru, who felt a buzz of excitement she couldn’t pin  _ entirely _ on blood loss.

 

“That loud mouthed little bitch,” She snapped, pointing at Naru. The man shrugged.

 

“If you really want it to be quick,”

 

“I think I’ll draw it out,” She snarled. Naru cackled derisively.

 

“It’s real cute you think you can,” She snarled, sprinting forward and ramming her knives into the woman’s outstretched hands before she could react. She twisted them as the woman looked down at her in shock. “Oh sorry, did I forget to say ‘go’? Well, go,  _ bitch, _ ”

 

She ripped the knives out sideways as Shino’s bugs swarmed the man, but the man leapt backward, drawing Shino our away from Naru.  _ So they want to split us up. But that’d split them up too.  _

 

“Shino don’t follow!” She snapped, “Play defensive. They won’t bomb this joint if you have the Ashwinder-“

 

“How much did Chizue tell you?” The woman shouted in frustration and she struggled to move her hands. Naru shook her head.

 

“Forget handsigns, you can’t even make fists,” She laughed, “Talk about drawing it out,” She moved to punch the woman’s face, but she dodged, stepping back and glaring at Naru. Naru began striking out, but the woman could really move. She was trying to arrange her ruined hands into signs but couldn’t manage. Naru kept sneaking glances at Shino, who was commanding his swarm more conservatively than he had before, playing the same game Naru was. They were just trying to get shots in while preventing these weirdos from summoning anything bigger than an ant. 

 

Naru took a heel to the side of her face, kicking her to the ground. She felt the skin come off her shoulder as she slid across the forest floor. The woman stomped down on Naru’s throat, and Naru felt her neck open back up, and more blood spilt out into the dirt.  Naru grasped her foot and twisted, a gruesome cracking noise coming from the bones as her leg broke.

 

Naru shoved the enemy Kunoichi’s broken leg upward away from her throat, and she staggered backward. Naru leapt to her feet and squared up again, bringing her fists up to her face as dark blood poured into her bra. She frowned. “You’re not any fun at all,” She growled at the woman, who was about to reply when Naru leapt forward again, grabbing her shoulders and planting a knee into the woman’s stomach, sending her back into a tree. She spat out blood and glared up at Naru as she cracked her knuckles and walked up to her. “Do you wanna know what your big mistake was?” Naru snarled, winding up to punch her. The woman straightened up her back.

 

“That I didn’t kill you the second I laid eyes on you?” She said. Naru laughed, bringing her hands together in front of her.

 

“That too. But mainly- You shouldn’t  _ fuck with my friends, _ ” Naru whipped her hands apart, summoning the rasengan in her palms and slamming them through the woman’s chest, feeling her ribs creak and shatter. Blood poured out of the Kamizuru’s nose and mouth, splattering over Naru. She stepped back as the dead woman fell to the floor. “Shit. These are my last good pair of trousers you honey slurping asshat!”

 

“Honey is from bees, Naru-chan,” Shino snapped, bringing his bugs into a tight formation over his head to block the shower of stingers that was raining down on him. Naru leapt up, planting her feet squarely on a tree trunk behind the man he was fighting, grabbing him around his throat and yanking him upward, off the branch he’d been perched on. She held him out as Shino sent his bugs into one ear and out the other. “These ninja use wasps as their primary weapon,”

 

“Used,” Naru said, dropping the dead man and stepping back down onto solid ground, staggering slightly upon landing. She was a little light headed, probably from having lost so much blood. Shino held out an arm to stop her from falling. 

 

“Thanks, for coming back,” Shino said dryly, “You saved my life,”

 

“Yeah man, for sure, no problem,” She shook her head, but only succeeded in making the world spin faster. “I guess I should get back to camp,” She straightened up and moved to walk, but staggered again and fell against a tree. Shino stepped forward and bent to sling her arm over his shoulder, but he was too tall, and she couldn’t get enough support. She slid down the tree, feeling all the adrenaline from the fight fall away, and was left with nothing but the dizziness of anemia. 

 

“Get on my back,” Shino said, pulling her back to her feet and turning around. She shook her head again.

 

“No, you don’t have time to walk me home. I can do it myself. I can manage,”

 

“Stop. I have to get you back to camp. I told you; no self sacrificing crap,” He pulled her onto his back and began walking back to camp. 

 

“But the mission-“

 

“Fuck the mission,” Shino snapped, hiking her legs higher on his sides, “you can’t even stand,”

 

“Thanks Shino-chan,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes. “‘preciate it,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Raise Hell, Dorothy (I know it’s a repeat but it’s a jam so)
> 
> Shino: Fly On The Wall, Thousand Foot Krutch (I’m emo fuck you)


	108. Shino, Whose Load To Bear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shino is introspective big shocker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> read this twice: once as is
> 
> second time, Naru is faking it

Shino set Naru down by the smouldering embers of the fire she had built. He looked up at the dead woman bound to the nearest tree, flies buzzing around, landing in the sticky, coagulated blood that had poured down over her after Naru slit her throat.

 

He looked back down at his small blonde friend. She was unconscious, her face pale, but her breathing steady. The cicada was still alive in his bag, but it was only a single female. He would have looked for more, but there was no way he or his teammates could tend to Naru’s injury. She needed medical ninja. His first ever mission was a failure.

 

But Naru was alive, and breathing, and it was worth it. He sat back and sighed. He had heard a rumour that Tsunade had chewed Naru out for coming home without Sasuke despite the incredible odds stacked against her and Shikamaru on the retrieval mission, and despite the rumour that she’d been badly wounded for the first time ever. What would he say to the Hokage? What would he say to his father?

 

For a brief moment he felt bitter, in the darkness, that the Hokage had sent them out on missions, despite their inexperience and their youth, but it faded quickly. It was only logical. There weren’t many other Shinobi in the village for low level importance missions like this one. He doubted that she would have sent them if she hadn’t had to. The leaf village was in crisis.

 

And the rumour was their numbers would shrink again soon. Naru shifted in her uneasy sleep. He thought for a moment she might wake, but she didn’t.  _ How could she? She’d lost so much blood.  _ He paused for a moment then turned her head slightly, searching. There, on the back of her neck, was a thick red scar the width of a kunai. Whatever injury had caused that scar…  _ Naru is lucky she survived… lucky she can walk. No one has a scar like this and is fine afterward. _ So at least that rumour was true. Did that mean that she and Jiraiya really were leaving? He hadn’t believed it when he first heard it but… If it was true that she had been injured that badly, then was it true that she was going to leave?

 

Sasuke had left. She had no family. The things keeping her living in the leaf were becoming fewer and fewer. Just newly made friendships, then Shikamaru and Sakura. Even they weren’t old friends, not from childhood. Naru had no roots. 

 

Shino threw a blanket over Naru’s sticky, blood soaked form. It really was a shame they’d failed their mission. He looked up as Kiba and Hinata approached.

 

“We head home tomorrow. We can’t stay. Naru-chan got injured,”

 

Kiba sprinted to her side, pulling the blanket Shino had  _ just  _ thrown over her off and revealing just how bloody she was. 

 

“Oh my god Shino-chan what happened?” 

 

“She took a shuriken through the neck. It hit a vein. She’s stable but we need to go home,”

 

“How the hell did you let her do that?” He growled. 

 

“I didn’t let her do anything,” Shino snapped, “She jumped in front of it,” He narrowed his eyes behind his glasses, “You of all people should know that you can’t stop Naru-chan from doing anything she’s made up her mind to do,”

 

Kiba blushed. “You think I don’t know that? I know that!” He looked down at her again, grimacing. “So are we carrying her home now?”

 

“No, we’ll wait until morning,” Shino sighed. “But there’s no hope of finishing the mission. I only have one female,”

 

Kiba looked up, a frustrated look in his eyes. “Don’t call Hinata-chan a female. She has a name,”

 

“Female Cicada, Kiba-chan,” Shino snapped. Kiba perked up.

 

“Oh well that’s okay. Hinata-chan, show him what we got!”

 

Hinata flushed, “Oh… yes, okay,” and she pulled two little plastic containers out of her bag, one holding a Cicada nearly identical to Shino’s, and one containing a smaller, darker insect. A male. Shino’s heart leapt into his throat, and he swallowed thickly.

 

“You… You each found one?” 

 

“Yeah. Once Hinata-chan found the little one, Akamaru and I sniffed out the big guy really quick,” Kiba tilted his head. “Mission success,”

 

Shino looked back down at Naru, whose eyebrows were furrowed, and her breath coming evenly, but shallow. “Yeah… I guess,”

 

“Now, Hinata-chan, who’s carrying Naru-chan home? You or me?”

 

Shino straightened his back. “Why didn’t you ask me?”

 

Kiba looked up at him in surprise. “Well, I just-“

 

“Did you think just because we don’t always see eye to eye that I wouldn’t want to carry an injured comrade home?”

 

Hinata and Kiba both looked surprised. “No, it’s just-“

 

“That’s downright insulting. I would never neglect my duty as the leader of this mission-“

 

“Shino-chan! It’s because you said you wanted to carry the Cicadas home before we left the village!” Hinata said, holding her hands out. Shino froze. He realised he’d stood up.

 

“Oh,” He said, settling back into a sitting position, “Well… that’s true. But we should really take shifts,” 

 

“No, you’ll carry the bugs. Hinata-chan and I will take shifts with Naru-chan,”

 

Hinata shook her head. “Kiba-chan, you carry the equipment and Akamaru. I’ll carry Naru-chan home,” She flushed a little, “I could use the exercise,”

 

Both boys blinked at her. “Are you sure, Hinata-chan?” Shino asked. Hinata looked down at her knees and clenched her fists in her lap. 

 

“It’s what she would do,” She said. Shino glanced down at Naru, and pulled the blanket back over her.

 

“Yeah,” He said, “It is,”

 

They spent the rest of the night in relative silence, all of them listening carefully to Naru’s  breathing over the crackle of the fire. It was probably midnight before Kiba leapt to his feet.

 

“I’ve had enough,” He snapped, gathering up their things and dumping as much earth as he could into the fire, smothering it. “We’re getting her to the hospital,” 

 

The other two agreed, and they packed up the camp. Shino lifted Naru carefully onto Hinata’s back, and they set off. Hinata using one arm as they clambered up the vertical cliff to get out of the oasis. They moved quickly, far faster on their way back than they had been on their way out. Possibly due to the fact that Naru was sleeping deeply on Hinata’s shoulder, instead of tackling Kiba. Kiba offered to carry Naru twice, his face flushing slightly as he did so, but Hinata just shook her head, a determined look on her face.

 

“No. I can do it!” She’d say, eyes set ahead of her. Shino bit his tongue. He felt guilty for being the one carrying the lightest load. He wanted to relieve Kiba, but thought that the Inuzuka might take offence if he tried. So he was left, the leader of the mission, carrying nothing save for his bag and three cicadas.  _ The cicadas are the mission. _ He reminded himself, pulling his face deeper into his jacket,  _ it’s not a bad thing to have only them to carry. _

 

The sun rose and shone, and they walked into the village earlier than anyone could have expected them. The night guard was just changing over, and they looked shocked at Naru, slumped as she was over Hinata’s back and soaked in blood, looking almost dead. Shino stepped forward, in front of them.

 

“Where is the Hokage?”

 

“She… She’s in the dome, but report to the- hey! Kids! You guys need to sign in!”

 

“Team Kurenai and Naru Uzumaki,” Shino said over his shoulder as he lead his team into the village toward the dome. “I assume you can write,”

 

He stomped up the stairs and up to the dome, pushing into the dome and then hammering on the Hokage’s office door. Tsunade yanked it open, lines on one side of her face from where she’d obviously fallen asleep on her desk. Shino bowed shortly to her and looked up into her face. He was almost as tall as she was without her heels on. 

 

“What the devil do you think you’re doing knocking on my door at this time of day- Wait… you’re back already?”

 

Shino looked up at her, his hands folded behind his back. “Our mission was a success. We obtained three Cicadas, and I will bring them to the Aburame compound where we will begin to breed them,”

 

“Sounds good, why couldn’t this wait until  _ I was awake _ ?” Tsunade snapped. Shino stepped to the side, revealing Naru and Hinata. 

 

“Naru-chan is in need of healing,” He said plainly, “and you’re the best healer in the village,”

 

“Oh my gods,” Tsunade said, rushing forward and pulling Naru’s bloodied form off of Hinata, laying her on the ground and checking her over carefully for wounds. Shino pointed at her throat.

 

“She took a shuriken in my place,” He said, still keeping his voice as monotone as possible, “It struck her in the neck,”

 

Tsunade looked up at him. “What happened to the ones who did this?”

 

“Dead,” He said, putting his hands in his pockets. Tsunade clenched her jaw. 

 

“Good,” She looked back down at Naru, like she was thinking of something, quickly. “You’re dismissed. I’ll take her to the hospital,”

 

“With all do respect, Hokage-sama,” Shino said, causing both Kiba and Hinata to stare at him in shock, “I’d like to take her there, I was the leader of the mission and the reason she got hurt. She’s my responsibility right now, and if you can’t do anything for her here, then I’d like to be the one to take her,” He paused for a brief moment as she stared at him, “Ma’am,”

 

Tsunade smirked. “Not necessary, but,” She picked the small girl up and met him eye to eye, “I’ll make sure she knows you said that,”

 

Shino felt a little embarrassment well up in his chest. “If it’s all the same to you ma’am, I’d rather she not know,”

 

“Too late!” Kiba barked, grinning, “You’re never living this down, Shino-chan,”

 

Tsunade made a face like she was trying not to smile and turned, “I’ll leave you all to sort that out,” She said, striding away from them and out of sight. Shino stepped back and leaned against the wall, letting out a sigh. He was exhausted. Kiba and Hinata looked as tired as he felt, but both were smiling smugly at him. 

 

“Say nothing,” He groaned. Kiba just laughed. Hinata looked down the hall, toward where Naru was carried away. 

 

“She really does have a way with people, huh?” She said. Both boys looked at her. Kiba shook his head.

 

“Gods only know why, but yeah, she really does,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shino: I Don’t Know Why I Like You But I Do, The Wombats
> 
> Naru: Perfect Places, Lorde 
> 
> Hinata: Prom Queen, Beach Bunny
> 
> Kiba: Float On, Modest Mouse


	109. Hisao, Blind To You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru goes on a bender

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Naru is emotionally drained and grief stricken

A red headed man was drinking a cocktail at a bar in the seediest club in Konoha. He downed it and winked at the bartender, who blushed. He strode out, onto the dance floor, and swayed with the beat. His hips moved, his green eyes slid closed, the laugh lines in his face faded as he relaxed and felt the heavy thrum of music in his chest.

 

Naruto danced in a bar at one in the morning, alone and anonymous. No one even began to think that the attractive middle aged man in the middle of the floor was actually a twelve year old girl. That was, until someone took his hand. 

 

They drew him in, placed a hand on his waist. Naruto met eye to eye with a very attractive man, with long, chocolate brown hair worn in a braid and pale blue eyes. “You really are very good with disguises, Naru-san,”

 

The man pulled Naruto in, and slow danced with him, despite the fast pace of the music. He was dancing to a song of his own creation. It should have been awkward, ungainly, but Naruto felt himself swept up in the rhythm of this man’s movements. His heartbeat served as the baseline to a song that played only for them.

 

“You know, it took me a long time to find you,” The man said with a smile, his hair falling into his face as he looked down at Naruto’s borrowed muscular figure, “All day, in fact,”

 

“Why were you looking for me?” Naruto asked in a gravelly rumble. The man smiled wider, laughing under his breath.

 

“We’ve been summoned by the Hokage. We have a new mission. But you weren’t at home. Or anywhere at all. You haven’t been around for days- not since you left the hospital,”

 

“I’ve had a lot to think about,” Naruto answered coldly. The man drew him in, dropping both hands to his hips and pulling their bodies together, standing them still in the middle of a lively dance floor. He leaned down and whispered in the shorter man’s ear.

 

“So has everyone else, but none of us have turned to posing as a middle aged commoner in order to get drunk,” He whispered, sending shivers up and down Naruto’s spine. Naruto leant back and slung his arms around the strangers shoulders, smiling at him.

 

“Well you have,”

 

“Not to get drunk,” The man corrected, “Just to find you,”

 

Naru smiled. “Who are you?”

 

“What, one half of an attempt at a Henge and you can’t recognise me?” The man teased. He blinked. His blue eyes paled, and the pupils disappeared entirely into milky violet irises. An older, but recognisable Neji stood in front of him. Naruto shot him a crooked smile.

 

“Of course you could see me, bright eyes,”

 

“I could never lose sight of you,” He smiled. He took Naruto’s hands and pulled him off the dance floor, out of the side door and into the alley. He leaned Naruto up against a wall, and Naruto let go of one Neji’s hands, using his newly freed fingers to scrabble for purchase on the bricks at his side as the two men breathed the cool night air in deeply, inches from each other. Somehow this felt more intimate than when they had been touching hips moments before in the club. Neji met Naruto's eyes, looking like he saw past the false green irises, the rusty red hair and skin covered in fake freckles. He dropped his disguise and stood in his fourteen year old form, still holding hands with the fourty year old, muscular man that Naruto has decided to pose as that night. He sighed.

 

There was a puff of smoke, and Naru stood in front of him, short, and drunk, and a twelve year old girl. Neji pulled her away from the wall that was supporting her weight, and she staggered, falling face first into his chest. 

 

“How much have you had to drink tonight, Naru-san?”  He asked, grabbing her arms and holding her out from him, peering into her face. She shrugged, squinting at him in the half light.

 

“Men have been buying me them, so I lost track,” 

 

Neji paused, frowning deeply as he looking at Naru. “Men have been buying you drinks?”

 

Naru giggled, bringing a hand to her short hair and pulling it. “Yeah, well, not me, but they’ve been buying Hisao-san drinks,” She laughed, smiling up at Neji. 

 

“Who is Hisao?”

 

Naru grinned, turning her hair red and her eyes green again, her whisker-like scars making way for freckles, “Me! Neji-senpai, it’s nice to meet you,”

 

“Please return to your normal form, Naru-san,”

 

Naru drew closer, changing how she angled her body slightly, pushing in close as a boy. “Why, does this make you uncomfortable?”

 

“No,” Neji said, stoically letting Naru press into his personal space, crossing his arms and looking stern, “But you need to sober up and be yourself. We’re setting out on our mission tomorrow,”

 

Naru let her appearance slip back to normal, feeling a little disappointed she couldn’t get a rise out out of him. She scowled, stepping back. She remembered Sasuke, all those months ago, flushing red and looking away when she used her sexy jutsu. She felt a pang. He didn’t give a shit about her. He was gone, and the only way she could get anyone to pay attention to her now was when she posed as some old guy in a bar, flirting for free cocktails and shimmying on the dance floor.

 

“How’d you know it was me?” She asked bitterly, “I can’t have holes in my disguises, after all,”

 

Neji paused, watching as Naru stepped back and leant against the wall. The air was filled with the heavy bass of a song that people were probably grinding to on the dance floor Neji had pulled her from. The music was pulsing, overwhelming. Suffocating.

 

“It was how you moved,” He said after a minute, “You always move like… like you aren’t thinking about it. Like it’s just your body taking control. Everybody else in that room was blundering, thinking too much, nervous, but you weren’t thinking at all,”

 

“I wasn’t,” She admitted. The line of his mouth got incrementally thinner. 

 

“How?”

 

“Not everyone is a genius,” She said, “my head just shuts up sometimes. Most of the time, honestly. It means my body just has to do what it wants to do,” 

 

“How do I get you home?”

 

Naru froze. There was a reason she hadn't been sober or at home since she got out of the hospital. Every time she lay down in a quiet, empty room his angry, red eyed face swam in front of her, the expression he had made just before he pushed the knife into her back.

 

“Not going home. You can though. I’ll meet you by the front gates tomorrow,”

 

“You can’t walk,” Neji said, irritation mounting in his voice. Naru stepped off the wall and stepped unsteadily toward him. “And I’m not letting you go back in there. You can’t keep doing this,”

 

“I’m fine,”

 

“I’m taking you to the Hyuuga compound,” he snapped dryly, ducking under one of her arms and wrapping one of his around her waist, supporting her. She swallowed loudly.

 

“You’re taking me to your house?”

 

“Yes,” 

 

She watched her feet drag as they shuffled down to the Hyuuga compound. Neji seemed unwilling to let people see her, but it could be the implications of sneaking a drunk kid into your room. When he got to his place, he laid her down on his bed. She got up, stumbling over to the door and closing it. Neji lead her back over and sat her down on his bed again, and knelt in front of her, looking sharply at her face.

 

“I heard from Aburame-san that you sustained heavy injuries on your mission with him, and that you saved his life, risking your own. He's been looking for you too, you know. He was telling me he regretted not putting a tracker beetle on you,”

 

“Mm,” She hummed, nodding. His lips thinned again.

 

“I also heard that you wouldn’t acknowledge his authority despite him being appointed leader of your mission by the Hokage,”

 

She looked at Neji.  _ What’s he getting at?  _ “‘Can’t read Shino-chan, Bright eyes. ‘Have trouble with it,”

 

Neji nodded. “I hope you will have no problems accepting mine,” he said, his voice low. Naru paused.  _ What? _

 

“Your what?”

 

“My authority. Tomorrow we’re going out on a mission and due to your failure to appear at the debriefing, I was appointed squad leader,”

 

Naru blinked down at him. “So you’re my new Mr. Bossman, huh?” She said, trying to keep the bitterness from her voice.  _ Authority. Duty, action, respect. Who gives half a fuck? _

 

“I hope that this isn’t going to be a problem,” He said, looking up at her, “I respect you, but this is my first mission as a squad leader. We have to resolve some civil unrest in a mining town not far from here, a message got out that something happened to the town’s leadership. We have to go, figure out what is happening, and resolve the issue,”

 

Naru looked away from him, her already red face flushing deeper. “I don’t like being bossed around, Bright eyes. Remember that,”

 

“I am _not_ going to… ‘Boss you around,’ Naru-san,” He said, taking her by the knee and turning her into his bed, tucking her in, “But I will give you orders. And I  _ will _ expect you to follow them. I’m… I’m worried about you, Naru-san. I know we were never _truly_ close, but… well, now is not the time. You need sleep,” He walked to a chest of drawers in the corner of the room and pulled out a blanket. He spread it out on the floor and settled onto it. Naru watched him for a moment, then grunted and got up. 

 

“Nope,” She slurred, bending down and wrapping Neji in the blanket. He moved to stop her but she just hoisted him into the air and tossed him onto his bed, bound tightly in a fabric burrito.

 

“Naru-san, you aren’t sleeping on the floor,” Neji protested, sitting up and pulling his arms out of the wrap. Naru laughed.

 

“Who said I was sleeping on the floor?” She said, flopping down next to him, planting her face in the pillow and tossing and arm over his frame. Neji turned bright red.

 

“Naru-san… I can take the floor, it’s fine-“

 

“Shut your mouth, bright eyes,” She snapped, bringing her hand up and pushing his head into the pillow. She turned her own head and peered at him through one eye. “Would this be easier for you if I looked like a guy?”

 

“Even in disguise Naru-san, you always look like yourself to me,” 

 

Naru hummed and scooted closer, kicking a leg over him and closing her eyes. It was hard to breathe with her face planted firmly into the soft surface, but it smelled like him and it made her feel less alone. She suddenly flashed back to Sasuke choking her in the tower, the anger in his eyes and what he’d looked like as her vision had started to swim. She tilted her head again, filling her lungs and wiping her eyes on Neji’s pillowcase, feeling a small pang of guilt as her makeup smeared across it. 

 

“Naru-san…” Neji said, obviously concerned. Naru let out a little laugh, hoping it was convincing.

 

“Pretty cheesy, Neji-chan,” She mumbled into the pillow, “C’mere,” 

 

She rested her head against his chest, and if he noticed the tears flowing from her eyes and soaking into his shirt, he didn’t let on. She was glad, really, because how could she have explained herself? Neji had had so much faith in her ability to bring him back. She'd failed him too. He'd almost died to give her the chance, and she hadn't pulled it off. 

 

Neji wrapped his arms around her, and rested his chin on her head. "It's just the truth," He said under his breath. Naru sighed. 

 

_ I'm a failure. You were always right about that, Neji. I'm a useless failure. I just want to drink until I can't feel this anymore... _

 

Neji squeezed her. "No, you aren't,"

 

She scooted back, looking up at him. "Shit, did I say that out loud?"

 

Neji blinked. "Yes," He said, "But it isn't true, Naru-san. You... You are so much more than I thought you were back then, you're so much more than... you're more than what you think of yourself,"

 

"I'm nothing at all. Neji-chan, I'm... I'm so weak and useless and pathetic-"

 

"You... You are the only person on this earth who could ever know you for more than twenty minutes and still think that, Naru-san, I owe you... I owe you everything. I owe you my freedom,"

 

Naru looked up at him, and brought up her hands. She untied his headband, and pushed back the bandages covering his curse. She shifted up, kicking out until she was higher in the bed than him, then leant in, holding his face in her hands as she pressed her lips to the mark.

 

"You set yourself free, Neji-chan," She whispered, her eyes falling closed as she scooted back and rested her head next to his on the pillow. "I just punched you really, really hard in the face,"

 

She felt Neji's cheeks tense under her palms, and realised he was smiling. But her eyelids were too heavy, like cement, and she couldn't see. And then... and then she was asleep. And Sasuke didn't walk into her dreams once that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: 21, Samia
> 
> Neji: To Be Alone, Hozier


	110. Neji, Comrades In Changing Shirts At Inopportune Times

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji is nervous for his first bossman mission and gets bad news

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> flashbacks to me changing in front of everyone all the time as a preteen because i hated being sweaty

Neji was up at the crack of dawn, packing. He was nervous for the first mission he would lead, but he’d never let it show. Even more so, due to the fact Naru was on the squad. _ It’s hard to see her like this. _ He thought as he pushed extra ration bars into a pocket of his bag, and looking down at his shirt. It had large black smears across the chest where Naru had cried on him the night before. He pulled his shirt off and set it in his laundry basket. He peeled off his trousers too, and pulled on a fresh pair, surreptitiously glancing at Naru, who was still sleeping. He quickly buttoned his fly and moved to his chest of drawers to get a shirt. A floorboard creaked underfoot, and he heard a rustle of sheets.

 

He spun to face her as Naru leapt out of bed quickly, reaching behind her, scrabbling at where her weapon’s pouch would have been and crouching defensively. She looked feral, panicked, with lines on her face from the pillow and her hair sticking straight up on one side as she groped for a knife that wasn’t there.

 

“Your pouch is next to the bed,” He said, pointing, his other arm drifting up to cover his chest a little. Naru looked straight up at him, her pupils slits. It was a little startling. “I took it off last night, remember?”

 

“Neji-chan?” She asked, blinking. Her eyes reverted to normal. Neji swallowed thickly.

 

“Yes, Naru-san, it’s me. I wasn’t expecting you to get up so early,” He paused, “are you okay?”

 

She looked around the room, straightening up. “Where are we?”

 

“My room,” He blinked at her, “Do you remember anything from last night?”

 

Naru bit her top lip and looked at the ceiling. “I remember dancing with some Chunin guy who was trying to stick his hands down my pants,” She said, making Neji flush a little, “Poor sod had no clue. Then a couple civilians started buying me shots, and stuff started getting blurry, and I was dancing, and a hot guy showed up… Oh! Was the hot guy you?”

 

“I don-”

 

“It totally was! And you brought me here, but I don’t remember what happened after,”

 

“We’re going on a mission today,” he said, picking up his bag, “we should probably set off now so that we can get your things. Where do you live?”

 

“The outskirts,” Naru said, putting on her weapon’s pouch and smiling at him. She opened the door, and he moved to follow, but she leaned against the doorframe and held out her hand, smirking at him, “you… you may want to put on a shirt first. I mean… I don’t care, or anything, but… _ you _ may wanna put a shirt on,”

 

Neji looked down at himself, with his hand on his bag and his bare torso in full view. He looked back up at her, and she was looking him full in the face, smiling like she was trying not to crack up. He flushed and held his bag out in front of him like a shield. “Uh, yes, I definitely will… do that…” He began pushing the door closed on Naru, “Just wait outside for a moment please,”

 

He shut the door and took a deep breath before retrieving a fresh shirt and pulling it on, flicking his hair out of his collar and picking his bag back up, slinging it over his shoulder. He pushed the door open and stepped out. Naru was leaning against the doorframe, chewing on her thumb and smiling at him. Her eye makeup was smeared down her cheeks, and her lips were still stained reddish from the cocktails she’d drunk the night before. 

 

“Hey,” She said, shooting him another sunshiny smile that made it hard to believe she was the same girl who’d cried on his shoulder a few hours beforehand. 

 

“Hello,” He said, smiling back half heartedly, “Should we set off now?” 

 

“I’ve been waiting for you,” She laughed, flicking her wrist and pushing off the doorframe. Neji flushed an even deeper red.

 

“Okay, well, let’s…we’re going to go?” He asked, grabbing the strap of his bag with both hands and clearing his throat.

 

She just smiled and started walking, her hands in her pockets, running her tongue over one of her sharp canines. He was tempted to use his byakugan so he could keep watching her without staring, but resisted the urge. His half-hearted, long distance crush was, at times, a pain. Rumours travelled fast in Konoha, at least, amongst Ninja they did. A side effect of being a small group of people specially trained for the gathering and redistribution of information. 

 

The result was that he knew that the number of boys crowding Naru had dwindled by more than one in the last few weeks. Apparently Kiba, as well as Sasuke, had resigned post.  _ Still. I’m not the one. And now is not the time. _ He also knew Naru had assaulted several orderlies after her return from her fight with Sasuke. He knew that she’d been badly injured, but had recovered quickly. Word was that she’d been badly injured again on her most recent mission with Shino. But then, the afternoon she had come back, she’d disappeared from the hospital. They knew she was still in Konoha, because a Ninja had broken into her apartment and noticed the plants had been watered. She’d just become a ghost, for days. No one saw her, no one heard from her. Shikamaru had been going spare. Wild with worry. He probably would have found her, if he hadn’t been sent out on a mission on the second day she had been gone. 

 

_ Turns out she was off getting wasted just around the corner the whole time. It’s so out of character for her… to not think of how she’ll affect others. She’s usually fairly careful with that kind of thing.  _ Neji looked back over at her, fumbling for her keys and unlocking the door to the building. 

 

“I’ll wait out here,” He said, turning his back and taking a deep breath. Naru rolled her eyes, reaching out and grabbing his arm. 

 

“Neji, for a genius you really are stupid. Come on!” She said, yanking him into the building after her and leading him up the stairs and to her apartment. She unlocked it, and lead him inside. It was very dark. Insanely dark. He looked around and noticed her window had been boarded up. She pointed at it and grinned. “Kiba-chan is to blame. Baa-chan should send someone to fix it any time now,” Naru said. She gestured at the mattress that was on the floor, “Go ahead and sit. I barely swept up, so mind your feet, there could be some broken glass. It’ll only be a second,”

 

She started buzzing around the apartment, packing her bag and watering her plants, a toothbrush hanging out of her mouth, and Neji just watched quietly. There were cracks and stains in the ceiling, and the overall impression was bleak, but she’d pinned posters to the walls, and there were house plants under the boarded up window, flourishing. After a while, his eyes began to slide over peeling paint and broken glass, and land on the posters and brightly coloured blankets. Then his eyes found her, the brightest thing in the room, humming to herself as she tossed her gear into her pack at random, no method or rhythm. If she saw it, and thought she might need it, it went into her bag.  _ Gods, that smile. Who’s that happy just packing? _

 

After a few more minutes, she went to her chest of drawers and began lifting the hem of her shirt. Neji quickly closed his eyes and covered them. He only opened them when he heard her laughing. 

 

“What on earth are you doing, bright eyes?” She asked. He looked up at her, a small shaft of early morning sunlight reflecting across her face in the dark as she leaned down and smiled at him, wearing a fresh shirt and trousers. He swallowed.

 

“You were changing…”

 

“We’re gonna be gone for days, bright eyes. You’re gonna see me change. It’s not weird,” She held out her hand to help him up and he took it, “we’re friends, right?”

 

“Yeah,” He said, smiling, “We are,”

 

They left, and she locked her apartment and double checked the lock. It was a reflex, not something she meant to do, he could tell by the way her face went slack as she did it. They left the building and headed out to the front gates. She was zigzagging, toeing up stones from the side of the path to kick them across his. He couldn’t help but smile at her. He tried to keep his voice stern, however, when he spoke. 

 

“Are you trying to trip me?”

 

She looked up at him, surprised for a moment, but then smiled. “I’m trying to get you to kick one back, stupid!” she flicked another pebble across his path. He didn’t move to kick it back to her. She pouted, hopping out in front and turning, walking backward in front of him, her thumbs hooked in the straps of her backpack. “Come on, bright eyes! You’re no fun!”

 

“Please behave at least  _ somewhat _ professional, Naru-san. This is my first mission as leader, and technically it began yesterday,”

 

Naru smirked at him, tilting her head as getting a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Me? Unprofessional? Never,”

 

He looked away, out over the rooftops of the village, and smiled again. The sun set the whole world ablaze, the glow of morning light flashing off anything it could, almost blinding. He watched a few birds, made golden in the bright rays of light, hopping along a rooftop a dozen yards away. Nothing to disturb them, not at this time of day, no reason for them to flee. He looked back at Naru, and she was still _beaming_ at him. It was crazy, how the sight of her happy sent his blood stuttering in his veins, sent a shock through his neurons, made his muscles twitch. A physical reaction he had no control over, like a drug. Something addictive. He suppressed a sigh. 

 

He still wasn’t the only one who was hooked. Konoha had a Naru epidemic.

 

_ And now is not the time. She’s hurt. It’d be wrong to make her worry about my feelings in this. And… she’s younger. One or two years makes a big difference at our age. I can’t continue to indulge these emotions. _

 

They arrived at the gates and waited, Naru turning back around, facing out at the woods and the road they’d take away from the village when the others arrived. Neji stood behind her, trying to talk himself out of his feelings.  _ I can’t continue this, I need to stop being so selfish, she doesn’t need suitors, she needs friends who will be there for her.  _ He had almost locked his feelings away, compressed them and weighted them down, and then Naru leaned against him, her back pressed against his stomach. She looked up at him and grinned, the back of her head bumping against his collarbone and her eyes fixed on his.

 

_ Oh, no. _

 

"I like getting up early, don't you?"

 

He swallowed. "Yes, I do,"

 

They stood like that for a long time, just looking out at the woods and waiting for the rest of the team to appear. Tenten and Lee came up together, Lee carrying her bags for her and jogging, her strolling along, hands in her pockets and a sour expression on her face. Naru leapt upright and grinned ear to ear at Lee.

 

“Eyebrows!” She said, hopping up and down and grabbing his hands, “How ya doin’?”

 

“I am very well, Naru-chan! I am so glad to see you again, you worried us all very much!” He said, grinning back. Tenten scoffed.

 

“So, you’ve deigned to join us then, huh?” She snapped. Neji shot her a look that she ignored. Naru glanced up at her, surprised.

 

“What does ‘deigned’ mean?” She asked. Neji looked away again, trying as hard as he could not to smile. Tenten flushed.

 

“Gods, you’re so stupid,”

 

Naru just kept grinning, “Yeah, I guess so!” She laughed, before turning back to Lee and hopping up and down excitedly, “How are you feeling? Last time I saw you, you were in the middle of recovering from your fight!”

 

Lee straightened up and held out his fists. “I am back to One Hundred Ten percent!” He said, “I am blooming with the power of youth, Naru-chan!”

 

Naru grinned and flexed one of her biceps. “Looks like this team’s ready to kick ass!”

 

“If you’d been at the debriefing you’d know that we might not be fighting at all,” Tenten said, crossing her arms. Naru turned to her fully now.

 

“Do we have a problem?” She asked, her smile shrinking, gaining something sharp. “It feels like we have a problem,”

 

“You’re selfish,” Tenten snapped, glaring at the younger girl and stepping forward, crossing her arms, “You just up and vanish for three days after a mission, worry everyone sick, and then you come back and expect people to just pretend it didn’t happen? Do you think you’re the center of the universe or something?”

 

Naru’s smile disappeared completely now, and a modicum of guilt crossed over her face. Then was gone, replaced by aggravation. “I don’t expect anyone to do anything,” She hissed, “And people are gonna have to get used to my absence. Three more weeks after all,”

 

“What?” Tenten snapped, eyebrows pinching together. Neji froze. Lee was looking between all of them like they were playing catch. 

 

“I’m leaving at the end of the month. Going training with the Pervy Sage. Guess news doesn’t spread like I thought it would,” She frowned. “He said it’d be years before I come back,”

 

“...years?” Tenten asked, stilling. Naru nodded.

 

“Yeah, part of the damn reason I disappeared. ‘Cause I figured it’d be easier for everyone if I faded out slower,”

 

“Disappearing at random isn’t ‘fading out slower’, you need to let people say goodbye-”

 

“We need to set out,” Neji said, his voice surprisingly steady, all things considered, “we’re wasting time. Remember the mission,”

 

The rest of the squad looked at him. Naru shrugged and turned away, striding off. He shot a reproachful look at Tenten, then they all followed. 

 

_ Years? How many years? Two? Three? More even than that? How old would she be when they next saw her? How will she have changed? What would training do to her? _

  
Neji hoisted his bag further onto his shoulder and frowned to himself.  _ What will the years do to me? _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Neji: Sedated, Hozier (the great return of Hozier on every chapter. New EP Dropping on the sixth. We stan a forest spirit in this house,)
> 
> Naru: Afterlife, XYLO
> 
> Rock Lee: Dancing Shoes, Arctic Monkeys
> 
> Tenten: When It Rains, Paramore


	111. Naru, Brothers and Wives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru and Lee are bros, Naru sees a spider, and they find out more about their mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I Love Rock Lee

“I will not fail!” Rock Lee said, sweat dripping down his face. Naru grunted and smirked at him.

 

“Well I’m not even feeling it yet, Eyebrows!” She lied, inching forward. They were walking along behind Neji and Tenten on their hands, occasionally bumping elbows. Rock Lee picked up the pace a little. Naru scrambled to keep up, wavering unsteadily as they passed by the other two. 

 

“I will not be beaten in this, Naru-chan! This has been a part of my training for years!”

 

“Yeah? Well… I don’t know, all the blood is rushing to my head,” She laughed, overtaking him. They’d been at it for a half an hour, but neither of them was willing to quit first. Lee shot Naru a glance out of the corner of her eye. 

 

“There is no shame in admitting defeat, Naru-chan,”

 

“Don’t worry, Eyebrows, I won’t hold it against you,” she grinned, holding out one hand and balancing, then dropping a leg out to the side to nudge him. He staggered, then caught himself, laughing. 

 

“Naru-chan! That is cheating!”

 

“You never said there were rules!” Naru laughed back, straightening up and continuing down the path. They kept going for a while longer, until Lee stopped in his tracks and flipped back onto his feet, looking up at a building a little way off. Naru laughed.

 

“Ah hah, gotcha! Told you I’d… Eyebrows?” She flipped back onto her feet and straightened up, looking over at her friend as he stared at what looked like a little healer’s shop. Or what had been- it was so dilapidated that surely it was no longer occupied.

 

“I… I have been here before, while I was training with Gai-sensei,” He muttered, stepping forward. Naru looked at the run down old building. 

 

“This dump?” She asked, pointing at the building. Lee nodded. 

 

“It was not like this when I was last here. Something happened…” He strode up to the door and knocked, but when his knuckles grazed the wood of the door it creaked open. He hesitated, but then pushed it, striding inside. Naru glanced back, looking over her shoulder at Neji and Tenten, then followed Lee into the healer’s shack. It was dingy, but there were still products on tables and a desk, free of dust. The floorboards creaked as they walked around, and Lee was getting steadily more distressed.

 

“Eyebrows, what’s going on?” Naru asked, walking through the room and peering through an empty doorway. The hinges were splintered where someone had kicked the door in, but the door itself was gone. Cleared away. 

 

“I trained so hard here that I fainted. Gai-sensei brought me to this hut. The women here… they saved my life. But…”

 

“Are you sure it was this place? It looks like it’s been deserted for a while,” Naru said. Lee turned and pointed to a chest of drawers behind her. 

 

“They kept dried yarrow and lavender in the top two drawers, and a rose tincture and pine pitch salve in the ones below them,”

 

Naru turned around and opened the drawers. Sure enough, the herbs and remedies lay where Lee said they would be. The door creaked open, and Neji and Tenten came in. 

 

“What are you two doing?” Tenten asked. Naru looked around at her.

 

“Eyebrows has been here before,” She said, “Something bad happened. Can’t you… can’t you feel it?”

 

“We should go,” Neji said calmly as Naru turned and began sliding the drawers shut again, “There aren’t any answers here,”

 

Naru set her hand on the last drawer, and then felt a strange tickle. She looked down and saw a spider the size of a half dollar climbing up her hand toward her wrist. She jumped and yelled, shaking it off and stumbling backward, into Tenten. They fell to the ground, Naru quickly hopping back to her feet and scrambling out the door, gasping for breath. She tripped again outside the house, and fell, sprawling at the feet of a middle aged woman. She was wearing a dark blue, floral tunic and a cautious, but not unfriendly expression.

 

“Hello there little one. What are you doing here?” She asked. Naru’s eyes flicked down to her hands, which were clutching a bucket of chopped firewood and an axe. 

 

“Hey. I uh… I fell,”

 

“I can see that,” she laughed, “I can also see you’re from Konoha, with that headband of yours,” she switched the axe to her other hand and helped Naru up, smiling at her. “I sent a message there the other day. Is it possible you are here on a mission, and not just in order to fall down outside my shop?”

 

Naru paused, looking up at the woman. She had dark hair, striped with grey, and a lightly lined, kind face. “I  _ am _ here with my team on a mission. This is your shop you said?”

 

“Yes!” She smiled sadly, “Business is… nonexistent. Ever since the death squad came into town. People aren’t coming here for healing anymore. Why would you, when someone is selected every few days?”

 

“Excuse me?” Naru said. The woman frowned.

 

“Oh, maybe you aren’t the team they sent then…”

 

At that moment, Tenten, Neji, and Lee all filed out of the building. Upon seeing the woman, Lee let out an excited shout and rushed forward, bowing quickly to the woman and beaming at her. “Nozomi-san! Do you remember me?”

 

Nozomi smiled at him and nodded. “Lee-san, handsome devil of the leaf! I could never forget you! Look how you’ve grown! You’re as tall as I am! How is Gai-sensei?”

 

“Gai-sensei is very well! But… Nozomi-san, what has happened here? And what has happened to your wife? Is she also out doing chores?” He asked. Naru looked up at Nozomi. She’d never met a woman who had married another woman before. She’d always thought it wasn’t an option.  _ Why don’t we see that all the time?  _ She thought briefly of her old crush on Sakura and flushed.

 

But Nozomi looked very grave at the mention of her wife. “Ah, Lee-san,” She said, looking at the ground, “Sada-san… Sada is… dead. That’s part of the reason I finally risked getting the message out… I have nothing left to lose,” Tears started to pour down her face, “They came in the night, days ago, and took her. I’m no fighter, but I tried, and they knocked me out,” She pushed her hair back to reveal a large, clean gash and a bruise on the side of her forehead. “But I knew I had to do something, that I’d been a coward. Now Sada-san is gone and… Well, I do not fear death. The death squad can take me,” Naru glanced at Lee, who had a dark look on his face. Were… were those tears? She raised her hand to her own face and felt wetness there too.

 

“The message you got out was almost impossible to decipher,” Neji said calmly, “We could do with more information. We were only told of civil unrest in the village,” Naru turned to look at him. He was stoic, but there was something behind those pale eyes. Determination.

 

Nozomi looked up at Neji. “Inside. It isn’t safe to linger here for long. The trees have ears,” She led them in and turned on the lights. (Something none of them had thought to try before.) Naru hesitated at the door, scanning the floor for massive, bird eating tarantulas, but Neji put his hand on her shoulder reassuringly, and urged her forward. She walked into the shop reluctantly, Neji behind her. He closed the door, and Nozomi lead them into the back, where they all sat around a table as she prepared tea. When she set the tray down and took her place, Neji leant forward.

 

“Nozomi-san, please explain as much as you can about what is happening in town,”

 

Nozomi sighed. “Would any of you like a cake first? I fear you may not want them afterward,” 

 

Naru reached forward and grabbed two, earning a dirty look from Tenten. She took a bite and nodded at Nozomi. “Go on,”

 

Nozomi sighed again and held the teacup between her hands as she began to speak, like it was an anchor. “A year ago, maybe longer, you lose track, when it comes to things like this, you know... It becomes less ‘Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday’ and more ‘Will I be next? Will someone I love?’” She took a sip of tea, steeling herself, “They came into the village, and overnight they had replaced the council. It started as punishments… Transgressions like littering, being late to the mines, and they’d bury you alive. It wasn’t long before everyone was a perfect little citizen- then they increased the taxes. Started sucking us dry, and no one could leave. There was no way out, unless it was in a casket, and it didn’t matter if you were dead or alive. We were all living on borrowed time. But it wasn’t enough. See, their leader, Raiga… He  _ likes _ burying people. And not enough of us were dying or breaking his rules. So he started taking people, dragging them out of their homes in the night. My Sada-san… My beautiful, brave Sada. She… She tried to stop him from taking a young miner the other week. She talked back. We knew we were next, but she refused to leave. She even told me… she told me they should get a move on, or she’d do it herself. Said she couldn’t stand the wait. But that was when I sent out word. I had already figured it out, you know, how to do it. But I waited. I was scared,” Another sip of tea, and she wiped some tears on her sleeve, “Smart little creatures, bats. They go home to roost, but if you have a lot of bugs around, then they’ll come and hunt near you. You ninja patrol constantly, and a bat will drop a note, if it makes it too hard to get into its nest, so if I could get a bat to carry a note to the leaf, or even close by, I knew you’d get the message,”

 

“How’d you know which bats lived around the leaf?” Naru asked, holding a cake aloft and looking at Nozomi. The woman smiled at her.

 

“They showed up latest. The bats from the mountains showed up first, in a swarm, but the little bats from the woods show up individually, and late,”

 

Naru smiled at her. “Wow, you’re really smart. Well, it worked. We’re here,” She downed her tea and got to her feet. “Sounds like I have to go kill this Raiga guy right now. Thanks for the tea, Nozomi-san. I’ll avenge your wife, you can be sure of that. I give you my word,” 

 

Nozomi looked up at her, then around at the others. “Now, I wasn’t expecting children, and you can’t go up against Raiga. You all should go back to the village and get ANBU, this is a job for grown ups,”

 

Naru smiled down at her, itching her nose with her knuckle and putting her other hand on her hip. “Don’t worry, Nozomi-san, I assure you, we’ve got this. This is one of the strongest teams of the leaf. These three are all _ incredible _ nin, and… well, I can hit people really hard,”

 

Lee nodded solemnly. “She can, Nozomi-san, it is true,”

 

“If anyone can take this jerk down, I know it’s these guys… and me,” She let her face fall into a more serious expression, “I never go back on my word. I’ll personally make sure that Raiga can’t split up a family ever again,”

 

Neji got to his feet too. “Naru-san is right,” he said, looking down at the other two, “We need to go and assure the safety of the rest of the town’s people as quickly as possible. The longer we wait, the more likely it is that these… Death Squad are selecting their next victim,”

 

Naru looked up at him, smiling. She felt a rush of gratitude for him having her back.  _ Although, _ she thought, looking back down and smiling at her feet,  _ maybe it has more to do with the fact this is a mission and he just agrees with us leaving as soon as possible. _

 

Tenten stood, quickly followed by Lee. “Then what are we waiting around for?” Tenten said, smiling too, “Lets go!” 

 

They all turned to Nozomi and bowed, thanking her for her tea and hospitality, and assuring her they’d be back after they accomplished their mission. She looked nervous, and before they left, she pulled Lee aside and pressed something into his hands. Naru froze, listening in on their conversation, ignoring Tenten as she started in on her about being afraid of spiders. 

 

“Use this, there’s one for each of you, if it becomes hard to fight, if you fear you may lose, drink it. It’s the same that I gave to you years ago,”

 

“Nozomi-san…”

 

“Be careful, Lee-san, I could not bear knowing I called children here to die,”

 

Naru saw Lee look at her and smile. “No, Nozomi-san,” He said, “You called Ninja here to fight,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rock Lee: I'll Make It Up To You, Imagine Dragons
> 
> Naru: No Duh, K. Flay
> 
> Neji: Work Song, Hozier
> 
> Tenten: DARE, Gorillaz (again, but... Amazing)


	112. Neji, And Bad Lying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji tells the truth, tells a lie, admits the truth (kinda) and then they all meet a stranger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Neji. I love all these idiots, but especially Neji

Neji was watching carefully as Naru walked along in front of him. She kept shaking her head. Her jaw was set, a muscle twitching in it. It had taken him a moment to figure it out, but it seemed as though she was  _ thinking _ about something. Ever since he realised, he’d been burning to ask her what was on her mind. He hadn’t ever seen her _ this quiet _ before. 

 

She had her hands in her pockets, and the way she was curling into herself… It was uncharacteristic. It was sad. He wanted to tell her everything would be okay, but he felt as though it might be the wrong thing to do. She may just want some time to herself. She shook her head again and suddenly smacked a hand to the back of her neck, the other hand smoothing over her weapons pouch, as though checking it had been fastened properly. She twitched nervously, and looked around, catching Lee’s eye and smiling at him. Neji once again suppressed the urge to reassure her.  _ She doesn’t want to be bothered. She’s independent. She doesn’t want to be coddled. _ Lee smiled back at her. When he looked away, the smile on her face was replaced by an expression he couldn’t even begin to explain.  _ Like heartbreak and betrayal and like she’s trying to laugh off some kind of a sick joke. _ He couldn’t take it anymore.

 

He reached forward and touched her shoulder, despite himself. She flinched a little, but then relaxed when she looked at him. 

 

“Are you okay, Naru-san?”

 

She blinked, then smiled her usual, sunshine smile. “‘Course I am! I’m excited for the fight! Can’t wait to crack some skulls!”

 

Tenten shook her head and stomped forward, away from Naru a little way. Lee shot Neji a look, then followed. Neji let go of Naru’s shoulder and drew up next to her.

 

“You don’t have to confide in me, if you don’t wish to, but you looked… pensive. What… what were you thinking about?”

 

Naru hummed. “Pensive… that means like, thoughtful, right?”

 

Neji nodded. Naru ran her tongue over her teeth quickly and sighed.

 

“I don’t want to lie to you, Neji-chan,”

 

“Then don’t,” He said simply, “You can tell me the truth,”

 

She hesitated, looking up at him. “You know, I’m not sure I even  _ know  _ the truth anymore,” She looked back down at her feet, toeing up a rock and flicking it ahead of them a little way, “I just… I feel as though my life is a weird rerun, and no matter what I do, I just… I can’t stop what’s going to happen,”

 

“I used to feel that way, you know,” Neji admitted. Naru kicked the stone again, and it skittered along a little.

 

“Yeah? What made you feel different?” She asked, watching the stone scoot along. It hit another pebble, and spun off course. Neji’s foot shot out and he flicked it back into her path. She stomped on it, and came to a halt, staring up at him in awe. He stopped too, smiling down at her.

 

“You,” He said, shrugging. She flushed dark red and looked down, her eyes wide, but a small smile playing her lips.

 

“That’s… that’s so goddamn  _ cheesy _ ,” She whispered at the ground. Neji laughed, feeling his face heat up a little too. 

 

“It’s just true,” he said, trying to keep his voice even. They both jumped when Tenten’s voice rang out.

 

“Will you two hurry up?” She snapped, “We have enemies to brutally murder, and you two are lollygagging like moths at a lamp,”

 

Neji turned and began jogging to catch up, but out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw Naru bend and pick something off the ground, tucking it into her pocket.

 

It was ten more minutes after that that they came upon the mining town. Storefronts were dilapidated, no one was around, the whole place looked deserted.

 

Naru looked at Lee. “Hey Eyebrows, you think that everyone is in the mine?”

 

Lee frowned. “It is possible…”

 

“Do you know where it is?” Tenten asked, one hand on a scroll like she was ready to draw at the first sign of movement.  _ She’s feeling jumpy. All that fuss about Naru being afraid of spiders and she’s ready to kill someone over some empty storefronts... _

 

“I do believe so,” Lee said, pointing, “It is over that ridge, if my memory serves me correctly,”

 

Naru clenched her fists. “Let’s go!” She said, making to leap out into the open. Neji caught her shoulder.

 

“We should exercise caution, Naru-san,” He said calmly, activating his byakugan and scanning the buildings for any hiding enemies, “Nozomi-san said that the death squad has them under observation at all times,”

 

Tenten nodded, “But of course they could just be giving that illusion to scare the townspeople,” She said. 

 

“That is true,” Lee said. Naru made a frustrated sound low in her throat.

 

“Well, let’s not just stand here!” She snapped, turning to Neji, “We can go around!” Her face had that same fiery, determined look she’d had in the arena at the exams… When she swore she’d change the way he looked at the world. He hummed, still scanning their surroundings.  _ Nothing. I can’t see anyone hiding. _

 

“Okay,” he said, “We’ll go around, just to be safe,”

 

“But it’ll take so long-” Naru whined, stomping one of her feet. Lee straightened up and clenched his fists.

 

“Then we will have to move at twice our normal speed!” He said, smiling. Naru looked up at him and grinned.

 

“Make it triple! I’ll beat you there, Eyebrows!”

 

“You will not defeat me!” Lee responded, turning around and getting into a starting position. Naru mirrored him. 

 

“Okay, Neji-chan, you call it!”

 

“Will you two-” Tenten started, but Neji just sighed, resigned to the proceedings.

 

“Go…” He said, watching Lee and Naru take off running. Tenten sighed and looked up at him.

 

“Why indulge them?” She asked as they both broke into a run, following the others. 

 

“They won’t be talked out of it, and you know that they won’t. They’re each as stubborn as the other,” He sighed. Tenten pursed her lips.

 

“You’re right. I don’t like it, but you’re right,” She glanced over at him. “It’s cuter on Lee-chan, don’t you think?”

 

It was Neji’s turn to purse his lips. “I decline to comment on the  _ cuteness _ of my teammates,” 

 

Tenten laughed. “Come-on, Neji-chan. I’m only gonna tease you if you say nothing at all, you know that,”

 

Neji said nothing. Tenten grinned at him. “So you like one of them?”

 

Neji felt his face go hot. Was he sweating? He might have been sweating. Tenten made a squeaking noise and clapped her hands together.

 

“Okay, so is it Lee-chan?” She asked, squinting at him. 

 

Neji bit his tongue. Tenten hummed.

 

“It’s totally Naru-san, isn’t it?”

 

“I don’t  _ like _ anyone, don’t be ridiculous,”

 

“It  _ is _ Naru-san, oh my gods! You actually like that little disaster zone?”

 

“Keep your voice down!” Neji hissed. Tenten cackled. 

 

“Don’t worry, they’re too busy talking shit to each other to bother listening to us. I can’t believe you like her, I never thought you got crushes,” She laughed. Neji flushed.

 

“Even if I did  _ like _ her, it wouldn’t matter,”

 

“Oh, no! She’s leaving, isn’t she? Are you going to tell her?” Tenten asked, looking a little upset. Neji sighed.  _ I need to work on my lying. _

 

“No, I’m not. It’ll come to nothing, it’s just a tiny crush. I’ll get over it. We’re just friends,”

 

“I can’t even say her name to you without you blushing,” Tenten said. Neji looked away from her.

 

“Yes you can,”

 

“Do you lie to Naru-san like that?”

 

Neji felt his face burn. Tenten laughed. “I won’t tell anyone, but you should. You should confess. She might meet a ton of cute people on her travels. What if she finds someone from another village? You should put a ring on it now. Lock it down before she leaves,”

 

“This is so mortifying,” He mumbled. He saw Naru and Lee slide to a halt ahead of them, Lee catching Naru to stop her from toppling over the edge of what looked like a sudden cliff. Lee looked over his shoulder and pointed, then held up five fingers.

 

Neji and Tenten drew closer, and he activated his byakugan again. They were overlooking a terrible scene. An old Miner had collapsed, and he was being dragged away by two men in long, black robes. On the cliff opposite them, a fair bit lower, was a man in an identical black robe, except he looked like he had a massive hunchback, overseeing it all. He was laughing. 

 

Naru gripped her fists, and made to leap down. “Those bastards!” All three members of team Gai leaned forward and grabbed her, dragging her back. Tenten slapped a hand over her mouth as she continued to growl, “How can you watch this? We have to stop it!”

 

“Naru-san, we can’t do anything, charging in there without a plan is suicide,” Tenten whispered urgently. Naru just kept straining against them. She was much stronger than she looked. She shook off Tenten’s hand and made to start speaking again when someone appeared behind them, and a black-gloved, unfamiliar hand slapped over her mouth in Tenten’s stead. All four teenagers froze. 

 

_ I wasn’t paying attention. I left us all open. Damn it. _

 

“Keep quiet, brat, you’ll get us all killed,” Hissed the person, their voice hoarse. They were in all black, but it wasn’t a robe like those on the ground. They had two katanas strapped to their back and the only part of their face that was visible was their eyes, which were so dark they looked black too. “No need to look so frightened, I don’t kill children. But you all need to shut the fuck up,”

 

Naru moved her head frantically, like she was trying to shake the person off, but the person grabbed as much of her short hair as she could and held her fast, leaning forward and hissing in her ear.

 

“I’m going to help that man, but he has to get buried first. They do it while they’re alive. We have an hour before those coffins run out of air completely. That’s enough time to get him out of the casket, and out of this town, to safety, without any of those idiots knowing we’re here. If you go rushing in, all you’re doing is ruining that man’s chance of survival, do you hear me, snotrag?”

 

Naru hesitated, then nodded. The person let go and stepped back.

 

“Start yelling and I’ll knock your tiny ass out,” they growled. Naru glared up at her. Neji felt a powerful urge to attack the stranger, but Tenten was looking at them appraisingly.

 

“So,” Naru hissed, her voice venomous, “What’s the plan, fuckwad?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Oozin, Beach Bunny
> 
> Neji: Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?, Arctic Monkeys
> 
> Lee: Punches, Bryce Fox (get fucked i could put this in every chapter for every character and it'd work)
> 
> Tenten: https: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdtTfQJCO2Y ( I Deserve To Die)


	113. Naru, And The Knife To Your Neck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru finds herself in some bad situations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> late night update because of Nomo,
> 
> Lo Siento

Naru was hiding. She couldn’t see anything but Lee, who was supposed to signal her when they could start fighting. The mystery person, who had introduced themself as ‘none of your damn business, snot,’ had told everyone that Naru couldn’t be trusted to see the proceedings. Naru had moved to throttle them, which,  _ apparently _ , had been the wrong thing to do. After that, everyone had agreed that she should be further away, and unable to see. 

 

Maybe they had been right, but even with Naru crouching blind behind a boulder, unable to see what was happening, she could still  _ hear. _ The leader of the death squad, Raiga, was fake crying, she could hear the laughter in his voice as he spoke about the man he was actively  _ murdering _ . She could hear the terrified miner banging against the coffin lid, and screaming for help. She could hear her own blood pounding in her ears at the injustice of  _ not being able to do anything _ . 

 

Raiga was talking. She could hear his ugly grin in his ugly voice. Talking about how  _ wonderful _ funerals were, how humanity was at its best when in mourning. She felt the tackiness of blood in her hands as her fingernails stabbed through her palms.  _ Funerals are low points. How could you enjoy the pain of others? _ She thought of Haku, and Zabuza, lying dead beside each other. She thought of the Third, the rain, how hard she’d cried. How she’d carried Konohamaru.  _ He hadn’t wanted to die. He hadn’t wanted to leave us. That man in that casket… He doesn’t want to leave his loved ones either. This sicko… this freak… He’s making him! He’s hurting people the way Orochimaru hurt me when he killed the third. When he took Sasuke away from me... I’m gonna  _ kill _ him.  _

 

Naru looked over at Lee, bringing her hands up to her face and wiping the tears off her cheeks. He looked at her for a second, saw her start to get to her feet. He began shaking his head frantically, signalling her to stop. She could see him mouthing to her. ‘ _ We have not gotten the signal, stand down,’. _

 

She didn’t care. She was going to kill that bastard, and she was going to do it now. 

 

But then Neji was next to her, frowning, pushing her back into her sitting position.  _ Damn him and those fucking eyes of his, he saw me. _

 

“Naru-san, stay here,” He hissed. She frowned at him, slamming her fist into the boulder she was hiding behind. 

 

“I can’t just let him do this, Neji-chan!” she whispered, grabbing the front of his shirt. It felt a little wrong, to be rough with Neji, to yank him around. Logically she knew he was as tough or tougher than Shikamaru, Sasuke or Kiba, but she quickly dropped her hand and slammed it against the stone behind her as well. 

 

“We aren’t letting anyone do anything,” He said quietly, leaning in and pressing her back against the boulder, his pale eyes searching her face, “We’re just taking it slow, we’ll kill him at the end of all of this, don’t worry,”

 

Naru looked up at him, swallowed, and nodded. Just as Neji let go and stepped back, Raiga stopped speaking, and laughed.

 

“It seems there are some guests to this funeral that weren’t invited. How rude, to disrupt us while we mourn, don’t you think, boys?” He laughed, “Come out and fight like real men,”

 

They all froze, but something inside of Naru broke.  _ Fight like real men? I’m gonna make you  _ wish _ I fought like a man, you wide mouthed tree frog. _

 

She stood, and turned, leaping over the boulder and striding out into the graveyard. Every cross she saw burned on her skin like a brand, until she could feel acid in her throat. She drew one knife, two, and she pointed up at Raiga, where he was standing on the cliff.

 

“I’ll see your blood at the end of this, pisslord,” She snapped.

 

“I don’t know you,” He snarled, “But I’m sure one of your friends will give you a funeral. Or maybe they won’t get the chance. I’ll probably kill them too,”

 

“Shut your fat mouth you dumbass,” She shouted, feeling her throat go raw with all the vitriol in her voice, “Get down here and HIT ME!”

 

“I think I’ll have them fight you first,” He sneered, gesturing with his hands. Around two dozen men started rushing forward, but Lee, Tenten, and Neji all jumped out, joining back to back with her. 

 

“I bet I can defeat more enemies than you, Naru-san!” Lee muttered. Naru smirked. 

 

“Is that a challenge?” she laughed, eyes flicking from enemy to enemy, “It sounds like it could be a challenge,”

 

“If you take it as one, I will not stop you. Do not be dissatisfied, however, when you are beaten,”

 

“First one to the big bad wins,” Naru laughed, throwing a knife and drawing a new one as men closed in on them. “No- whoever takes down the big bad wins!”

 

“It will be me on both counts!” Lee said, striking down two men at once with a well placed kick. Naru laughed, punching a man and using him as leverage to land a scissors hold on another guy, flipping back into a handstand and slamming his head into the ground. 

 

“Yeah right! You wish!”

 

“Will you two focus?” Tenten laughed, using a flail to break people's legs as they came at her. Naru giggled, grabbing a guy by the arm and flinging him into the air. 

 

“Don’t have to, these guys are just scrubs!” She said, jumping up and whipping the man into the ground. She landed badly on a rock, and slipped a little. Two men rushed her at once, and she brought her hands together. “Henge!” 

 

She stood there, in a bikini this time, her long blonde pigtails swaying behind her as she pouted at the men who had stopped in their tracks.

 

“You wouldn’t hit a girl, would ya?” She whined, bringing her hands together in front of her. The men hesitated, and she smiled. “Your mistake!” She whipped her hands apart, conjuring a weak rasengan and slamming her hands into their chests, knocking them back. She blew on each of her hands and then smiled at Tenten, turning back to her normal form.

 

“Can you believe that? It almost always works,” She laughed. Tenten snorted and shook her head.

 

“Gods, that’s sad,” She laughed, letting go of her flail and pulling out a large staff. Naru turned back to see Lee flipping backward, bringing a man into the ground. She frowned and ducked, grabbing a man’s waist and suplexing him. 

 

_ Can’t get distracted here. Lee’s really on the ball. _

 

She looked up just as Raiga leapt down from his cliff, stabbing something into the rock behind him and slowing his descent that way. Naru scowled. 

 

_ I’m gonna break this idiot like a fucking wine glass. _ She glanced over her shoulder. The dark, grumpy mystery person was helping the old man out of his coffin, urging him away. They made brief eye contact, and Naru nodded at them.

 

She spotted Neji, who was knocking enemies down faster than they could come at him. She turned back to Raiga as he stomped toward her, two swords in his hands. Lightning began crackling overhead, and the fog thickened. Naru snapped her hands together and began producing clones. She started her Rasengan, which illuminated the fog a little, and blew some away, but it was still too thick to see through. She heard clones bursting, but couldn’t tell where anything was. Suddenly, one of the guy’s swords came out of nowhere and she slammed her Rasengan around his wrist, breaking it and making him drop the sword just before it ran through her chest. she ducked as the other sword swung at her head, and wrapped her arms around one of his legs, yanking upward as he brought the hilt of his sword down on her head. She felt her skull crack loudly against the metal, but kept pulling at his leg, until he toppled backward and landed on the ground with a smack. She picked up his sword and moved to slit his throat, noticing the fog beginning to clear as she did so. 

 

“No!” He yelled, leaping up, letting the sword run through his shoulder as he leapt off of whatever was on his back. his robe fell off as he scrambled to his feet, knocking Naru back off her feet and towering over her. His hunch was gone, left in his robe. He yanked the sword from his shoulder and angled it down at Naru, who was breathing heavily and a little shell shocked that Raiga had just impaled himself. He looked furious, for the first time, real anger was in his eyes.

 

“You don’t deserve a funeral, brat,” He growled. Naru smiled, bringing her neck up to the tip of his sword and glaring up at him.

 

“I might not ever need one, given my track record, but go ahead and give it the old academy try, pal. Do your worst,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Paralyzed, Mystery Skulls
> 
> Lee: The Only Difference Between Martyrdom and Suicide Is Press Coverage, Panic! At The Disco
> 
> Tenten: Black Wave, K.Flay
> 
> Neji: Far Too Young To Die, Panic! At The Disco


	114. Rock Lee, And The Hate Of Some Other Man’s Beliefs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lee fights. Naru refuses to take a rest and payne the price

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In honour of the national holiday that is today, due to Hozier release of new music for the first time in FOUR YEARS all songs today will be Hozier.

Lee launched himself into the air, and kicked Raiga squarely in the face, knocking him back, away from Naru. The large man stumbled as Lee stood in front of him, striking his defensive pose and scowling.

 

“I am your opponent now,”

 

“Eyebrows! Don’t you dare steal my thund-“ Naru started, but Tenten grabbed the smaller girl by her arms and dragged her back, touching her head with her fingers and showing her the blood that was running down her scalp and neck. Naru didn’t seem to care.

 

“Please use what’s left of your brain!” Tenten barked, “You might have a concussion,”

 

Naru kicked out and tried to get to her feet. “I’ll show you a damn concussion, let me at him!”

 

Lee blocked a swipe from Raiga and used his arm as leverage to drive his leg hard into the man’s stomach. Raiga was strong, but slow, and no match for Lee’s Taijutsu, even if he still wasn’t truly at 100% after his surgery. 

 

Raiga seemed surprised that Lee was landing hits. After a few minutes, Lee paused, catching his breath. Raiga smiled. “You… I’ll give  _ you _ a funeral. It’s that look in your eyes,” 

 

“I am afraid to have to be the one to tell you, but you are not going to have the chance,” He snapped, straightening his back. They both turned at the sound of running feet and saw Naru sprinting at them, her hands together forming hand signs.

 

She split into seven, and Raiga scowled again. “Not you again,” He growled, lifting his swords into the air, making the air crackle with electricity. She leapt upward, into the air, and moved to slam both her fists down onto his head, but he blocked her with his vambraces. They dented, and there was a flash of lightning, most of her clones disappearing, but Naru landed nimbly next to Lee and put her fists up near her face. Blood was still running down her shoulders, and her hair was so matted with it that he couldn’t even see where the wound was.

 

“Hey, Eyebrows,” She said. Lee glanced at her. 

 

“You really cannot let anyone else have the fun, can you?”

 

“Come on, you can’t keep the only enemy worth having to yourself,” She laughed, flashing him that crooked, confident grin. 

 

“Hmph,” He said, unable to suppress his own smile. They looked up at Raiga, who had been staring at his Vambraces and frowning at Naru.

 

“Even together, you’re both hopeless,” Raiga snapped, bringing his swords together again. Naru and Lee leapt aside as lightning struck down where they had been. 

 

“Loud and wrong!” Naru laughed, and they both rushed him. Lee roundhoused him and Naru leapt up, splitting into clones, grabbing his arms and yanking them around, preventing him from summoning any more lightning. He was staggering backward, lumbering, obviously feeling the pain of having two taijutsu users attacking at once. Naru laughed as he landed a pretty hard hit on her original form’s chest, as though he’d told a joke, falling back, landing on a knee and rushing back at him. It was invigorating, fighting beside someone so determined. Lee felt the fire of youth in his chest swell.

 

“Hey Eyebrows!” Naru snapped, grasping Raiga’s broken wrist and pulling his sword away, getting hit hard in the leg and wincing, landing hard whipping the sword back to Tenten, who caught it. “switch!”

 

Lee leapt up and Naru drew back and punched Raiga hard in the chest. One of her clones grabbed his head, and yanked backward, knocking him off balance. Lee leapt onto his chest, and made a fist, staring down at the man threateningly.

 

“Concede!” He demanded. Raiga frowned.

 

“Never,” He growled. He grasped Lee’s ankle and whipped him off of himself, and Lee had to flip in order to land in a crouch, sliding to a halt and gasping for breath. Naru started in, but there was a quick flash of lightning, and she was blasted backward. Neji leapt forward and caught her before she could hit the ground, and Raiga was gone.

 

Tenten rushed to Lee’s side. “Are you okay, Lee-chan?” She asked, pulling him to standing and peering carefully into his face. He smiled and winked at her. 

 

“I am fine! Do not worry, Tenten!”

 

Tenten smiled half heartedly, but then looked over at the robe Raiga had abandoned. “Something in there… is  _ moving _ ,”

 

Lee straightened up and strode over to it, looking at Neji as he did. Neji nodded at him, shifting so that he had Naru in a princess lift and walking over. Lee shifted the robes aside, Tenten joining him hesitantly. There was some kind of sleeping bag in the cloth, and a strange glowing red light coming from it. Tenten swallowed, but reached down and unzipped the pouch. A small boy, bruised badly and wincing, had been tucked away in the pouch. He looked up at them, no fear in his eyes, and tilted his head.

 

“Are you going to kill me, now that Raiga-san isn’t here to keep me safe?”

 

Lee looked up at Neji in awe, but Neji was looking just as bewildered as he was. Tenten cleared her throat.

 

“No, of course we won’t kill you. We only kill bad guys. You’re not a bad guy, are you?”

 

“Is Raiga-san a ‘bad guy’?” The boy asked, his voice monotone. Lee felt a head of sweat drip down the side of his face. Tenten crouched by the boy’s side.

 

“Yes. Now come out of there,” She held out her hand to help him up. He didn’t take it.

 

“Then I am also a ‘bad guy’. So you should kill me,” He turned his head, “And I can’t come out. My legs don’t work,”

 

They all paused. Once again, Tenten was the one who spoke. “You aren’t bad. You’re not the one who was killing people. Why don’t your legs work?”

 

“They haven’t ever worked,” The little boy said, “Will it hurt to die?”

 

“We aren’t going to kill you!” Tenten snapped. She unzipped the bag the rest of the way, and lifted the boy out of the pod. His top half looked like a normal, healthy child’s. But his legs… They were thin, and had no muscle tone at all. He had obviously never so much as stood on his own. He seemed apathetic to Tenten’s grasp on him. Lee turned to Neji. 

 

“We should regroup, and drop the child off somewhere safe. Should we return to Nozomi-san?”

 

Neji looked down at Naru. “She’s a healer, right?” He asked. Lee nodded, glancing down at Naru, who was still unconscious, and then over at the child in Tenten’s arms. 

 

“Yes! And it appears that that is what we need now, more than anything,”

 

Neji nodded. “Then let's go and regroup,”

 

Lee turned to Tenten and wordlessly offered to carry the child, but Tenten drew him closer and shook her head.

 

“He’s not heavy,” She said simply. They set off, and within a couple minutes they heard running footsteps. The person from before, with the face cover, was behind them. 

 

“What happened? The man is safe. Did… did you kill Raiga?”

 

“No,” Neji said, shifting Naru in his arms and looking at the person coldly. “It seems that we were underprepared for his abilities. How did he see us hiding?”

 

The person shrugged. “Probably the same ways he seemed to be observing the town,” They said. “Where are you going?”

 

“The home of Nozomi-san,” Lee said. The person stiffened. 

 

“You’re using an empty house as your base?”

 

“Empty? Nozomi-san is there. She’s the one who called us here,” Tenten snapped. The person’s eyes shot wide.

 

“But if you go here you’ll put her in danger!”

 

“Nozomi-san is a brave woman,” Lee said. The person reached up and yanked off their hood and cowl, revealing tightly coiled dark brown hair and a friendly, very dark skinned face. 

 

“You think I don’t know that, Lee-san?”

 

“Sada-san? We- Nozomi-san told us you were dead!”

 

“I thought she was dead. We were separated almost a week ago. The last thing I saw was a man smashing her head in as they dragged me away from her. Are you telling me she… She survived? Oh no, she must have been so worried. I wish I’d known- But we can’t go back, she’ll be in even more danger!”

 

Lee clenched his fists. “Nozomi-san deserves to know that you are alive and okay, and you should be the one to tell her!”

 

Sada clenched her jaw. “You’re right, Lee-san. You’re right. Let’s go,”

 

They ran as quickly as they could back through the woods and to the Healer’s Shop. Sada was twitching nervously, and pulled off her gloves and put them in her pocket. Nozomi yanked the door open, looking out of her mind with worry. Her eyes landed on Naru first, then the boy, then finally flicked up to Sada. 

 

She froze, and gasped, one hand flying to her mouth as Sada hesitated. She twitched her arms awkwardly at her sides, smiling at her wife. “Hey. I’m home,”

 

Nozomi charged forward and pulled her wife into a hug.”Sada, you idiot, don’t you ever worry me like that again! Where have you been?”

 

“I thought you were dead,” Sada said, pulling her wife to her and kissing her cheek. Nozomi sobbed into her wife’s shoulder.

 

“You didn’t bother to check? You blockhead, I’m gonna make you sleep downstairs for a  _ month, _ do you hear me?” She leaned back, and grabbed her wife’s face, wiping away the tears there, “Oh, thank the gods you’re alive. I thought I’d lost you,”

 

Sada laughed, her voice thick with tears, “You can’t get rid of me that easy, ‘Zomi, you said forever, didntcha?”

 

Nozomi laughed, then wiped her eyes on her sleeve and turned to the three teenagers, who were watching in awe. “Get inside, lay those two out on mats in the back, warm up by the fire,” 

 

The kids nodded, and filed in. Tenten lay the boy carefully on a mat, and he was gazing up at the ceiling apathetically. Neji seemed reluctant to put Naru on the ground, but at a meaningful glance from Tenten, he laid her out too, getting up and pacing back and forth on the far side of the room. Lee frowned.  _ It must be serious. He only paces when he is very upset. I will try to distract him! _

 

Lee cleared his throat. “It is good that Sada-san is still alive,” He said, awkwardly. Both Neji and Tenten looked at him. Tenten turned to the child. 

 

“What’s your name?”

 

“Ranmaru,” The boy said quietly. Tenten nodded. 

 

“I’m Tenten, This is Lee-chan, and Neji-chan. The girl right there? Her name is Naru. The reason she’s unconscious and bleeding is because of Raiga. She was trying to make sure he didn’t hurt anyone else,”

 

“She was trying to kill him,” He said, looking up at her, “She’s why he dropped me. He jumped up because he was scared he hurt me. He’ll come back for me. He’s probably worried,”

 

Tenten just shook her head. “He’s not your friend, Ranmaru-san,”

 

Ranmaru looked up. “You’re right, he’s more than my friend. He’s all I have,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lee: Jackie And Wilson, Hozier
> 
> Naru: Arsonists Lullaby, Hozier
> 
> Neji: Foreigner’s God, Hozier
> 
> Tenten: In The Woods Somewhere, Hozier
> 
> Sada/Nozomi: Work Song, Hozier
> 
> Ranmaru: It Will Come Back, Hozier


	115. Naru, Somebody Mixed My Medicine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru hates hospitals AND holistic cures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *slamming fists on the table* I can’t make up my mind! Damn It! Is it obvious that I haven’t 100% planned out the endgame yet?

Naru awoke to something sweet being poured into her mouth. She spluttered and shot upright, knocking the cup out of Nozomi’s hand and upending it over her chest. It was sticky and warm and unpleasant. She frowned, looking around.

“Where’s that Baby-backed Lightning Bitch? I’m gonna throttle him,”

“Lay back down. The fight is over for now. And I doubt you’ll be in any state for a round two, anyway,” She said. Naru frowned at her.

“I’m already better. I appreciate your concern but I just need a place to wash my shirt and hair,” She looked up, and Neji was conferring seriously with a dark skinned woman dressed in all black with a pair of katanas strapped to her back. It took two seconds, but then she gasped and pointed. “Hey! You’re that jerk from before!”

“Naru-san, please don’t call my wife a jerk,” Nozomi said. Naru’s jaw dropped.

“That’s Sada-san? But… But… Sada- you said she was dead!”

“Yeah, I’m not dead. And I’m sorry if I was rude before. I thought you were gonna charge out and get us all killed. You did charge out, mind you, but I underestimated your abilities and I apologise for that,” She nodded. Naru pulled a face. She was left with the distinct impression that Sada was behaving herself in front of her wife.

“Yeah well, you saved that guy, so thanks, I guess,” She said. Sada smiled and held out her hand.

“Truce?”

Naru took it, “Truce,” Naru let go and looked around. “Where are Lee and Tenten? Are they scouting? they didn’t get hurt, did they?”

“No, no they’re fine, they’re just out showing Ranmaru-chan how to use his wheelchair,”

“Who?”

Just then Lee and Tenten came in, wheeling a small boy in a wooden wheelchair in front of them. He was laughing, letting his fingers run over the wheels as they turned. Sada perked up and positively beamed at him.

“How’d it work? Feeling good? Your arms will get tired pretty fast at first, but you’ll get stronger and stronger with time. You don’t need to rely anyone now, you can get around on your own!” Sada rushed forward, bringing him further into the house, “And if you want, we can continue exploring potential therapies. You have some, small range of motion, so in a few months, you might even be able to walk with crutches for short periods of time! But that also takes a lot of arm strength, so we have to make sure you build up those muscles. Soon you’ll look like Naru-san!”

Naru smiled and flexed. Ranmaru, the boy, laughed and grinned up at Sada. Nozomi leaned in toward Naru.

“You know, Sada-san loves children. If the four of you don’t have to take Ranmaru-chan back to the leaf… he could, potentially, stay here with us...” She smiled at Sada, who was talking about the adjustments she could make to the chair if he wanted, to make it more comfortable and practical for the local rocky terrain. “I think they may already be planning on it,”

“I think that’d be best for everyone,” Naru said, “And Konoha isn’t that great about orphans anyway,”

Neji caught Naru’s eye and smiled. She smiled back, and struggled to her feet. Nozomi protested weakly, but Naru just shook her head and grinned.

“Now, about washing my shirt…”

Neji stepped forward. “I can show her the bathroom, Nozomi-san, you don’t have to get up,” He said. Nozomi’s eyebrows disappeared into her fringe and she hummed in response. Neji flushed for some reason.

“Sounds like a plan to me!” Naru said, walking over and slapping her hand to her sticky shirt. She reached up and patted his face, smearing whatever medicine Nozomi had been trying to give her across his cheek. She giggled. “Now we both have to clean up!”

“Naru-san I was just going to show you where it was-“ He groaned, touching his fingers to his cheek and making a put-out face that was almost a pout. Naru laughed as he lead her away from the others.

“I know, but now you have to spend time with me,” she said, still grinning. He lead her through a wide hallway and to a bathroom, where he entered and dampened a towel. He turned around and leaned against the doorframe, wiping the mixture off his cheek in gentle circles. Naru stood in front of the sink and turned it off, sticking her head into the tap and using the decorative bar of soap to scrub the back of her head. “So what’s the plan? Are we going to go kill this Raiga guy?”

Neji hummed to himself. “You aren't,” He said, “I’m not risking any further injuries on your part. And you shouldn’t scrub so hard, you’ll open that wound back up,”

Naru stood up and looked over her shoulder at him, beaming. “What wound? I’m not hurt all,” She showed him the back of her head, fully healed and clean. He lowered his hand and stared at her.

“But you bled… you were covered in blood,” He said. She shrugged.

“I bleed a lot over little cuts,” She lied. He narrowed his eyes at her and went back to wiping his cheek.

“Anyway, even without the injury, you’ve been far too reckless recently,” He said, “And you’re endangering yourself at this point, which I just can’t have,”

She frowned at him, peeling her shirt off and tossing it into the sink. She turned the tap on full blast and began scrubbing it furiously. “You can’t just… bench me,” She snapped. Neji frowned at her.

“It’s because I’m concerned about you. Don’t think I didn’t notice what you were doing before Lee-san intervened,”

Naru flashed him a half hearted smile. “Ah, yeah, I’d forgotten you were watching,”

“You were actually going to let yourself get killed,” He said, frowning, “you didn’t have a plan. I know you didn’t,”

Naru turned back to the sink and began ringing the water out of her shirt. “Toss me that towel, will you?” She said. He passed it to her, their fingers brushing against each other for a second. “Will you let me fight him if I promise to toe the line and behave myself?”

Neji hesitated, looking away from her, straight at the blank wall. “I don’t think you understand just how much you mean to people,” He whispered. She paused, looking down as she wiped the medicine (that just _had_ to have copious amounts of honey in it) off her stomach. _I didn’t mean enough to him. And he was my best friend in the world. How could I possibly mean anything to anyone, save Sakura, at this point?_

She looked up at him and shot him a wry smile, letting it stop before it reached her eyes. “What could I ever be besides canon fodder, Bright Eyes?”

He looked back at her as she pulled on her damp shirt and shuddered at the feeling of wet cloth. He looked… overwhelmed. “One day I’ll find who made you so cynical and he’ll pay,” He said, his voice monotone. Naru felt a little shiver run down her spine. _He deserved Chunin, not me. He’s so strong._

She nodded and forced out a laugh. “Cynical? Me? Nah. But really, Bright eyes, please don’t leave me out on this,” She thought of Haku, and Zabuza, and the happy ending that Haku never got, and that Ranmaru deserved, “I have a score to settle,”

Neji frowned and crossed his arms. “I will not hesitate to take you out of this fight if I even get the inkling that you are thinking about stepping over the line,”

She clapped her hands together and hopped on the spot. “Eep! Thank you thank you thank you! You’re the best ever, you won’t regret it!” She leapt forward and hugged him tightly, making him stumble back a little. He rested his hands gently on her shoulders and smiled a little.

She stepped back and winced, looking at the tank top shaped wet patch on the stomach of his shirt. “Sorry,”

He shrugged. “It’s okay,” He said, “a little water never hurt anyone,”

“You’ve never almost drowned, have you?” Naru laughed. He frowned at her.

“Why are you always almost dying?”

“I assumed it was the career choice,” She said, leading him back to the room where everyone was gathered. When she walked into the room, they all looked up, and Ranmaru, who had been laughing with Sada, fell still and silent. Tenten cleared her throat. Lee looked at his feet.

Neji came in behind her, and looked around. Naru rubbed the back of her neck, her fingers finding the scar there and running along it. It was almost soothing. A fucked-up parting gift. Physical proof of her end goal. She looked up.

“So, are we gonna go do it?” She asked, “What’s the plan?”

Tenten glanced over at Ranmaru then stood. “Let’s go outside to talk about this,”

Naru looked over at Ranmaru and nodded. “Yeah, okay,”

They turned to leave but Ranmaru called out. “Wait!” He wheeled forward, stopping Just short of Naru. He looked up at her and swallowed. “Let me try to talk to him,”

Naru blinked down at him. “I’m not in charge here,” she pointed at Neji, “he’s the one who you need to ask, man,”

Ranmaru turned to Neji with pleading eyes. “Please, Neji-san, let me talk to him. I might be able to help. You might not have to kill him,”

Neji pursed his lips and looked down at him. “Do you honestly believe you can convince him?”

“You can’t put him at risk like that!” Sada snapped, standing up, “It’s bad enough that you’re all barely teenagers, let alone dragging an even younger child into it! Just kill the man and have done with it!”

Ranmaru looked over his shoulder at Sada and frowned. He turned back to Neji. “Please, Neji-san. He looked after me for so long. I need to try,”

“He didn’t look after you, Ranmaru-chan!” Sada said, her voice breaking, “He used you!” Nozomi reached up and grabbed her wife’s hand.

Naru cleared her throat. “I don’t have a horse in this race. I think this Raiga guy is an a-“

“Don’t swear in front of the kid,” Sada said sharply. Naru rolled her eyes.

“Unpleasant and frankly nauseating person,” Neji interjected. Naru cleared her throat.

“Well said, but my _point_ is that even I think the kid should have a shot,” She shrugged, “If Raiga doesn’t listen, I kill him. It doesn’t cost anything to try to save the bas-“

“No swearing!” Sada snapped. Naru growled.

“Mean person,” She said. Tenten giggled.

“Wow, I wish you were never allowed to swear,”

Naru turned to her and frowned. “Oh, you swear as much as I do, bun-head,”

“I bet you,” She said, narrowing her eyes and smirking, “That you can’t last the whole fight without swearing,”

“There may not be a fight at all!” Lee said, clenching his fist in front of him, “I believe that Ranmaru-chan can convince Raiga to change his ways!”

Naru hummed, still looking at Tenten. “Care to make it a bet?”

Tenten smiled. “I do,” She said. Naru smirked.

“Well, that makes two ongoing,” She turned to Lee, “If Ranmaru-chan _can’t_ seal the deal, are we still on to see who takes down Raiga?”

Lee grinned. “I never back down from a challenge, Naru-san!”

Neji stepped back, toward the door. “Let’s discuss the plan then, shall we?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Nina Cried Power (feat. Mavis Staples), Hozier
> 
> Neji: NFWMB, Hozier


	116. Neji, The Second Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neji has to watch it all happen over again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Neji

Lee was wheeling Ramaru along ahead of the other three. Tenten was talking to Naru, trying to get her to swear, asking her questions and making fun of her answers. Neji was following a little way behind, watching. Naru and Tenten were elbowing one another, slowly getting rougher and rougher. He’d seen Tenten do this kind of thing before, slap herself, jump up and down, get rowdy when she knew a fight was coming. It made sense that Naru did the same. He thought for a brief moment that they were similar, but then he saw Naru smile, and realised it was impossible.

 

There was no one like her. In that moment, he knew that nothing could have prevented him from feeling the way he did about her. Not in any world, not in any situation, not anyone else.  _ Three weeks, but the days are already falling away. Then she’ll be gone for years.  _ Stop. _ You can’t be selfish with this... with her. She deserves more than that. _

 

They reached the top of the cliff and paused there. Ranmaru’s hands were shaking. Tenten walked forward and grasped his hand. 

 

“Hey kid. Don’t worry. We’re going to keep you safe,”

 

“Raiga-san would never hurt me,” Ranmaru said. Neji felt uncomfortable. He didn’t think that that was really true. 

 

Naru looked back at and locked eyes with him. Neji felt his insides freeze. She hummed to herself. 

 

“Nervous, Bright eyes?”

 

He hesitated for a moment, then shot her a small smile. “No,” he said, “Like you said, this is a strong team, and we know our enemy better now,”

 

She grinned at him, her eyes squeezing shut from the breadth of it. “Yeah, we are, aren’t we?”

 

Tenten shot Neji a look, batting her eyelashes behind Naru’s head. He flushed a little and looked away. “Ready?”

 

Naru nodded. She turned, leaning over the edge of the cliff, toward the canyon and inhaling deeply. “HEY!” she bellowed. The echo of her shout radiated outward. Neji bit his tongue.  _ She really is a loudmouth. _ “RAIGA! COME HERE! WE GOT SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO TALK TO YOU!” She hesitated for a second, a storm brewing overhead, “AND A DIFFERENT PERSON WHO WANTS TO HIT YOU,”

 

“The different person is you, isn't it?” Tenten said, looking sharply at Naru. Naru winked at her.

 

“Now we wait,”

 

“No,” Ranmaru said, turning his wheelchair around, “He’s already here,” 

 

Naru turned faster than the rest, and stepped in front of Neji protectively. A mixture of indignation and happiness filled the pit of his stomach. “Hey frogmouth, what’s poppin’? I see you’re still ugly, that’s a shame, must be rough to live your life like that,”

 

Raiga glared at her, but then his eyes travelled over to Ranmaru, who wheeled forward slightly. Neji watched as Naru’s muscles spasmed, like she was holding herself back from stepping in front of him too. 

 

“Raiga-san!” Ranmaru said. Raiga’s face went slack.

 

“Ranmaru? What… what are you doing? Why are you… what did they do to you?”

 

“They gave me this chair so that I could move on my own,” Ranmaru said, his face determined, and hopeful, “We were wrong all along! Not all people are bad! We don’t have to hurt anyone to survive, and it doesn’t have to be just us!”

 

Raiga’s face grew red, and enraged. Naru stepped in front of Ranmaru, pushing herself to the forefront of the group. “Tenten, get him out of here,” She hissed, crouching in front of the chair and glaring at Raiga. Tenten rushed forward, pulling out her staff and slamming it across the handles of Ranmaru’s chair, moving to wheel him away. Raiga shifted.

 

“If it’s not just you and I, if we aren’t two halves of the same whole, then I’ll bury you too,” Raiga growled. Lee stepped forward, next to Naru. 

 

“You will _ not _ hurt him,” He snapped. Neji activated his Byakugan. Raiga was beginning to channel his chakra into the sword he held.

 

“Watch out!” He said. Naru and Lee leapt to the sides just as Raiga pointed and struck the space where they’d been with lightning. Naru snarled.

 

“Where do you get off killing people, you freak of nature?” She spat, standing up and bringing her hands together. She split into ten or so clones and they all struck a defensive pose.

 

“You hardly even deserve death,”

 

“You don’t deserve the air you breathe,” Naru spat. Raiga growled and she ran toward him, her clones rushing in alongside her. He swept out with his sword and took out four at once, and then lightning struck, blasting the others back. The original Naru slid to a halt in front of Lee, who grabbed her by the back of her shirt and yanked her upright. Neji drew back, circling around, moving to get behind Raiga. Naru and Lee both charged from the front, drawing his attention forward. He was lagging on his left side, where his wrist was obviously ruined, and he was wincing every time he had to turn to his right, his ribs either bruised or broken. Naru stooped down and launched Lee into the air, where he kicked downward at Raiga’s head. Raiga countered using his right hand, leaving his entire right side unguarded. Neji moved forward and landed a strike on his side, shutting down the chakra flow to his right lung. Another strike, and his leg was down, the third took out all flow to his good arm. Lightning struck, and Naru pushed him out of the way, taking the full force of the blow.

 

_ No. _

 

She was on the ground. Raiga was kneeling, gasping for breath, unable to fill his lungs effectively. His diaphragm no longer functioned properly. He looked down at Naru, whose hair was smoking. Her face had blisters across it and her hand was almost entirely free of skin. Neji started to struggle to his feet, looking around for Lee, who was yards away, also trying to get up. Raiga screamed weakly, breathlessly, in frustration and rage, using his broken left arm to grasp his sword. He fell forward, his almost useless right arm trembling as he caught himself on it, little more than bones and tattered tendons. He raised the sword, pointing it down over Naru. For the second time, Neji couldn’t move fast enough as Raiga moved to kill her. But Lee was still too unsteady to help, the ground felt like it was tilting, he may as well have been a kilometre away. Lightning flashed overhead, and he felt his heart stop as Raiga swung his sword downward.

 

Lightning flashed again.

 

Naru was holding the sword by its blade, her burned hand sliced clean to the bone, and had a kunai buried in the back of Raiga’s neck. Blood ran down over them. One of her eyes was squeezed shut from the pain of her injuries, the other open, the iris red, the pupil a vertical slit. She smiled.

 

“I told you. I’d see your blood by the end of this,” 

 

Raiga collapsed on top of her, and she grunted in pain as his sword fell away from her hand. 

 

“Naru-san!” Neji barked, struggling up and wincing. There was a blast as Naru used her Rasengan to shove Raiga up and off of her. His body landed with a dull thud. Now an object, rather than a person.

 

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” She said, struggling up to a sitting position and wiping the blood from her injured hand off on her trousers, looking over at Lee. “I win. And you guys have to vouch for me with Ten-chan that I won that bet too,” She moved to stand, swaying unsteadily, staggering. They all looked down at Raiga, Lee coming to stand next to Naru.

 

“I really believed that he might have seen reason,” He said, tilting his head. Naru bent down and yanked the Kunai out of the back of Raiga’s neck, wiping it off on his shirt and tucking it back into her pouch.

 

“I’m kinda starting to realise that people seeing reason is a rare thing,” She mumbled. She swayed again, and Lee reached out to grip her shoulder. Neji stepped forward and ducked under her arm. She leaned into his side, humming thoughtfully. “Should we bury him?”

 

Neji looked down at her. Burned, bloody, wincing every few breaths. “No,” He growled. “He doesn’t deserve a burial,”

 

Naru laughed. “Let’s go tell Nozomi-san. Maybe she’ll let us stay the night,”

 

“I am sure that she will! She has a heart that is generous and kind!” Lee said. Naru slumped into Neji a little more. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled more weight off of her feet. Naru laughed again, weaker this time.

 

“I can actually walk, you know,”

 

Neji cleared his throat and started walking her back toward town. Lee ducked under her other arm and walked with them. 

 

“Hey,” Naru giggled. Neji didn’t respond. “Hey bright eyes!” 

 

“Mm?”

 

“Guess you could say Raiga is rasen-gone,”

 

Lee snorted. Neji flushed. “Oh no,” He mumbled. Naru cackled.

 

“Eyebrows had him  _ Tai-ed _ up for a while, but I was pretty  _ shur _ iken I’d be the one to body him,”

 

“Please save your strength,” He said, pulling her up as she stumbled a little. She just laughed. 

 

They ran into Tenten and Ranmaru, who looked distraught when he saw how badly Naru was injured. Naru smiled at him reassuringly. 

 

“Hey, kid, you’re fine. You’re gonna get a fresh start. Don’t waste it, there’s not a whole lot of those to be had,”

 

Neji felt his hand tighten reflexively around her waist. He was surprised, really. It had been a very, very long time since his body had done  _ anything _ without him deciding to do it. But this was the second time on this mission alone that he’d reacted to her without meaning to. 

 

By the time they all got back to Nozomi’s, Sada was perched on a chair outside, her Katanas gone, in a t shirt and her black trousers. She leapt up when she set eyes on them. “Sunshine! Sunshine! They’re here! They’re all alive!” Her eyes fell on Naru’s burned face. “Barely!”

 

Nozomi rushed out, her hair down around her shoulders and a worried look on her face. She gasped when she saw Naru. Naru grunted in an irritated way.

 

“Come on, I know I’m ugly but this is  _ extreme _ ,” She slurred at Neji, as though she expected him to laugh. Neji just bent down and lifted her completely off the ground, carrying her up to Nozomi for the second time. Nozomi looked down at her like Naru was the saddest thing she’d ever seen. 

 

“I told you not to go,”

 

“I killed him though,” Naru said with a grin. Nozomi lifted Naru’s burned and cut hand, and frowned at it. 

 

“Get her inside, please,” She said to Neji, “I’m going to need more herbs,” She looked over her shoulder to Sada. “Clean her up. Start with th burn salve, and disinfect this wound on her hand,”

 

Naru snorted. “Nah, just let me take a nap, I’ll be good in the morning,” She said, moving like she wanted to get down, out of Neji’s grip, but ending with her forehead resting against his neck as she tried to keep conscious despite what was probably agony. He swallowed thickly and shifted her in his grip slightly.

 

“Naru-san,” He hissed as Nozomi rushed away and Sada quickly checked on Ranmaru, “You can sleep now,”

 

“Make sure they don’t give me anything too weird,” She said, her eyes sliding closed, “Okay?”

 

“Yes, okay, I will,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Neji: Horns, Bryce Fox
> 
> Naru: Barracuda, Heart


	117. Naru, Ramen and Promises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru is clueless

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Does she have a double digit IQ?" -the first person to read this chapter

 

When Naru woke up, she was being piggybacked by Lee. She shot backward so quickly that they both nearly fell over. Instead, it was just Naru who thudded to the ground. 

 

“I am so sorry, Naru-chan!” Lee said, offering her his hands to help her up.

 

“Aw,” Tenten said, her hands on her hips as Naru stared around at the woods surrounding them, “You were so cute. I was gonna try to get a picture when we got back to the village,”

 

“What, as blackmail?” Naru groused, rubbing her backside as she stretched her stiff limbs. It looked like it was around midday, and it was sunny. She guessed that they were back near Konoha. 

 

Tenten frowned. “You really don’t think much of me, do you?”

 

“It was going to be blackmail, wasn’t it?”

 

“It was, but I’m not happy that you assumed that,” She admitted, crossing her arms. Naru smiled at her. 

 

“Yeah, yeah,” She looked around. “Where’s Bright eyes?”

 

“Neji-san went on ahead a little way, he wanted to see if he could make arrangements at the hospital,”

 

Naru scowled. “How long ago did he leave?” 

 

“Ten minutes, why?” Tenten said, something coming over her face that Naru didn’t understand. Naru started running.

 

“Because I’m going to go catch him before he can get back!” Lee and Tenten looked at each other, then took off after her. Naru was moving as fast as she could, kicking up dust behind her. 

 

It took four minutes before he came into view. “Bright eyes!” She shouted. He froze and whipped around, staring at her. She skidded to a halt, holding out her hands and stopping herself from crashing into him only by pushing him back with her. “Bright eyes… I’m fine! No need to take me to the hospital,”

 

“You didn’t see yourself when you came back from that fight,” He said, frowning. “You had no skin on your arm. Your face was burned,”

 

“The only thing wrong now is that my hair got burned again,” She said, holding her hand out for him to see. There was a crease running along it, just barely missing the leaf symbol in her palm. He took it and brought it closer to him.

 

“This is impossible. Entirely impossible,”

 

“Nothing’s impossible. A lot of shit is really  _ unlikely _ , but nothing’s impossible,”

 

Neji looked up at her. He looked tired, like he hadn’t slept. She smiled at him, bringing her other hand up and slapping his shoulder. He swayed a little with the impact of it. “You worry me so much,” he admitted, “All the time,”

 

“Don’t worry about me,” She laughed, “I’m durable as all of anything,”

 

“I’m not convinced you are,” He whispered as Lee and Tenten came into sight. He glanced up at them and pulled Naru in, a little bit closer. “Can you do me a favour?”

 

“Anything for you, bright eyes,” She said. He swallowed and stared into her eyes.

 

“Promise me you won’t drink again. Not here, not out there, not until you come back. When you come back, I’ll owe you a drink. I’ll owe you as many as you can get down. But please… Please promise me you won’t drink anymore,”

 

She looked at him, seeing the urgency in his face. She nodded. “Yeah, yeah, okay,”

 

They could hear the other two’s footsteps now, but he hadn’t let go. He hesitated, looking up again, and then down at her face. “And… and please… when you’re gone… Don’t… whatever jutsu it is that makes you heal so fast. Please don’t ever give yourself another reason to use it. Stay safe, for me,”

 

She blinked, confused for a second, then smiled. “Neji-chan… I’d take a hundred lightning bolts for you, you know that, but play it safe? I couldn’t if I tried. Trouble finds me,” She laughed. He pursed his lips.

 

“Please don’t keep playing these dangerous games with your life,” He whispered. Lee and Tenten came up beside them. Lee looked confused, but Tenten was grinning. 

 

“Ready to keep going? We’re nearly there!”

 

“Yeah,” Naru said, not taking her eyes off Neji’s. He seemed intent on getting a reply. “yes. Okay. I will. Let’s go,”

 

They turned, in an awkward, tense silence, and began walking back to the village. It was maybe another twenty minutes until Tenten started an uneasy conversation with Lee, and another five before Naru joined in. Neji stayed silent. He looked like he had a lot on his mind. Naru let him be.

 

When they finally came into view of the gates, they were greeted by a shout and thundering footsteps. Shikamaru was charging toward Naru like an angry buck. He crashed into her, pulling her into a tight hug and practically growling into her ear as he crushed the wind out of her. She wiggled a little, placing her hands on his sides and pushing back half heartedly. 

 

“Shika-kun! I can’t breathe!” She laughed into his shoulder as he rocked side to side with her in his arms. 

 

“You can’t breathe? Good! You’re lucky I don’t strangle your brainless ass! Naru, you scared the shit out of me!” He muttered into her shoulder. She gave a weak laugh and he loosened his grip and held her out from him a little bit, looking at her carefully, like he was assessing her for damage. “You think that was okay? What were you playing at? I tore this dumb town apart looking for you! Don’t you dare ever worry me like that again, do you know how much of a  _ drag _ it was to be around here without you, without knowing you were safe? After everything that happened?”

 

“Shika-kun, I’m fine! I was just… messing around,” She said, flushing. She looked at Lee and Tenten, then her eyes fell on Neji, who was watching with a deadpan expression on his face. Gone was the boy from forty minutes before, who needed her to make him a promise. He looked like he had in the arena, when he’d hurt Hinata.  _ Like he doesn’t care at all. _ She looked back up at Shikamaru, who was staring at Neji, his eyes narrowed slightly. There were three full seconds of silence. Then…

 

“Nara,” Neji acknowledged. Shikamaru’s eyebrow twitched.

 

“Hyuga,” He said, “Your mission was a success?” 

 

Neji nodded curtly. The air was crackling with something Naru couldn’t place. She looked between the pair of them.

 

_ Oh no… They’re both so smart… It must be… That they’re becoming  _ rivals.

 

The thought gripped her like a terrifying monster. _Neji was my rival… Shikamaru is my rival… If they become rivals, then will I become boring? I’m not smart like that. They might just want a brainy rival. Not a brawny one… Oh no!_ _They might play shogi together! I can’t play shogi!_

 

She glanced at each of their stony expressions, then at Tenten and Lee again. Lee looked as confused as she felt, but Tenten was staring at Shikamaru like he’d personally choked a puppy to death in front of her very eyes. 

 

Shikamaru pulled Naru into another hug, slowly this time, still staring Neji down as he did it. Naru only offered small resistance, feeling a pit of dread in her stomach at the thought of losing Shikamaru as a rival to Neji, her friend. 

 

Neji cleared his throat. “This  _ entire _ squad will need to sign in and complete the paperwork required. We’re all tired, you’ll have to excuse us,”

 

“I’ll come with you,” Shikamaru said, draping an arm around Naru’s shoulder, “I don’t have anything pressing to do,”

 

“I could have guessed that,” Neji said, scathingly, “By the fact you’ve been waiting at the gates for her return, despite not knowing for sure that she would be back today, let alone what  _ time, _ ”

 

“Both of you shut up,” Naru snapped. Everyone froze as she put her hands on her hips and ducked out from under Shikamaru’s arm. “I’m not in the mood. If you guys are gonna be rivals, skip the flirting and fight,” She punched her open palm with her fist, and Lee clapped excitedly. Tenten put her face in her hands and groaned.

 

“The fire of youth is fuelled by healthy competition between comrades!” Lee exclaimed, “We should  _ all _ fight!” He met the look on Neji’s face and deflated a little. “... After we file our paperwork,”

 

“Will you four  _ please _ just sign in?” One of the gate guards sighed, “I know it’s basically the afternoon but it’s still too early for this,”

 

“Naru, I’ve told you,” Shikamaru drawled, throwing his arm back around her and giving her a comforting squeeze, “I don’t have rivals, it’s far too much trouble,”

 

“Shika-kun!” she whined, stomping her foot and pouting as Lee and Tenten drew forward and signed in, “I thought  _ we _ were rivals!”

 

Neji cleared his throat again. He held out his hand to Naru, looking pointedly at her. She took it and he pulled her forward, with Shikamaru trailing behind. Neji let Naru sign in first, then she handed him the pen. He took it and wrote his name neatly under hers. Naru smiled and put her hands on her hips again as Shikamaru stood close to the pair of them. “See?” She said, looking at both of them, “It’s not so bad! We can all get along!”

 

“Anyone can get along with you, Naru-san,” Neji said. Naru beamed at him.

 

“Thanks bright eyes,” She said. He smiled and stepped back and around Shikamaru, who was eyeing him. He looked down at Naru.

 

“Bright eyes?  _ Bright eyes _ ? I get Grumpy, and he gets  _ Bright eyes? _ Naru, you really are brutal sometimes,”

 

She rolled her eyes and grabbed Shikamaru’s wrist. “Oh be quiet Shikamaru-kun,” She laughed, walking him backward toward where Lee was handing out the forms they needed to fill out, “You know it’s different between you and me,” 

 

Shikamaru flushed dark red and looked away. “Tch.  _ Bright eyes,” _

 

Naru let go of his wrist and took her form from Lee. She frowned down at it, then looked up at the others and laughed nervously.

 

“I’ve never done one of these before,” 

 

All four ninja  _ stared _ at her.

 

“What? You’ve been going on missions for over a year!” Tenten exclaimed, pulling a pen out. Naru rubbed the back of her head and smiled, embarrassed.

 

“Kakashi-sensei doesn’t  _ do _ paperwork. And I’m always in the hospital after a mission if I go without him… So I just… never have,”

 

Neji pursed his lips, and then glanced at Shikamaru out of the corner of his eye. “I can guide you through it. As the leader of the mission, I have to do a full report. You and I can head down to the lib-“

 

“I can do it with you Naru,” Shikamaru said, yawning. “I’ve got nothing else to do, and the faster you’re done the sooner we can go get ramen or something,”

 

Naru smiled. “You can both help me! The more the merrier!” 

 

Tenten, a few feet away, bit her fist and let out a muffled scream. Naru turned to her.

 

“Ten-chan! Are you okay?”

 

Tenten cleared her throat, tears pooling in her eyes. “Yeah, no, I’m fine, just stubbed my toe,”

 

Naru looked at the empty pathway. “On what?”

 

“Incognisance,”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Don’t worry,” Tenten said, her voice cracking, “It’s okay,”

 

“Okay then…” Naru turned back to the boys and grabbed their sleeves, “Library?”

 

Neji nodded. Shikamaru groaned. Naru dragged them both down the path, looking back at the other two, who were gawking at them. “See you guys later!”

 

Naru talked the whole time they were walking to the library, telling Shikamaru about how proud she was that Ranmaru found a family. “Sada is going to modify his wheelchair and they said he might eventually walk with crutches if he builds up his strength enough. I was so happy,”

 

“You didn’t want to bring him back here to see if he could be healed by the Hokage?” Shikamaru asked. Naru hummed.

 

“I think… And don’t you agree Neji-san, that he’s better off there, healing slower, than here, healing alone?”

 

“I think you are definitely right,” Neji said. She tightened her hand on his sleeve and smiled at him. 

 

She let go of them both when they reached the library, and picked a table at the very far end, grabbing a third chair from another table and setting it along the edge opposite the wall, sitting down in it and putting her form on the table in front of her. The boys sat across from each other, Neji setting down the stack of paperwork he had to do, and Shikamaru tilting his chair back, catching one foot on a leg of the table to stop himself from falling backward. Neji scowled at him.

 

“Now Naru,” Shikamaru started, squeezing one eye shut and smirking at her, “Here’s the thing about those forms, they only ever really read the first half. after that they just glance at the first couple words of each section. If you just put in effort there, you can fudge the rest and no one will notice,”

 

Neji looked absolutely scandalised. “These reports go on file. They’re important!”

 

“To who?” Shikamaru snorted. Neji frowned.

 

“Naru-san, I know it will take longer, but it’s worth doing these reports thoroughly, the right way,” He offered her a pen, which she took with a smile.

 

“Eh, It can’t be that bad, Shika-kun, you’re just being dramatic,” She said, looking back over the form. “The first quarter of the page is just stuff about the team. Leader, Bright eyes, other squad members, Eyebrows and Ten-chan…”

 

“You should most likely use full names,” Neji said, glancing at her page. She frowned.

 

“What, like Tsunade Baa-chan won’t know who I’m talking about?” She said. Neji paused. Shikamaru snorted. 

 

“Of course she will, who else are you calling Eyebrows? Anyway, she’s the one who put the team together for the mission, she knows who the squad members were,”

 

Naru nodded, scanning further down the page. “How well did your teammates work together? Everyone was great! Was the team leader assigned to you responsible? Duh! Neji-chan is the best!” Neji flushed when she said his name, and rested his chin on his hand, scrawling neatly across his own forms. Shikamaru snorted.

 

“Were there any injuries sustained by you or your teammates during the course of this assignment? If so what was the nature and severity?” Shikamaru said, pointing at it. He looked up at her, then at Neji, raising an eyebrow. “So… did anyone get hurt?”

 

“Minor… burns…” Naru mumbled as she scribbled. Neji looked up at her. Shikamaru tensed.

 

“Who got burned, Naru?” He asked, looking at Neji.

 

“Heh, me, but look,” She held out her hand with its faint scar, “All better. Just  _ minor _ burns, right Bright eyes?”

 

Neji squinted at her. Shikamaru snapped his chairlegs down to the ground and put his elbows on the table. He interlaced his fingers and put his hands in front of his mouth. His eyebrows twitched again.

 

“How’d she get burned, Hyuga?”

 

Neji straightened his back and folded his hands in front of him. “She was in a battle with an enemy,” He said, “Because she’s a Kunoichi capable of holding her own. We fought a strong opponent, she defeated him, she got burned in the process,”

 

Shikamaru hummed. His eyes flicked down to the paper that Neji was filling out. “Minor burns. What degree do you consider minor, Hyuga?”

 

“I suppose a second degree burn could still be considered minor,” Neji said. Shikamaru set his hands down on the table.

 

“So Naru sustained second degree burns where?”

 

Neji paused, but Naru gasped and slammed her pen down, looking at Shikamaru in awe.

 

“Oh my gods, Shika-kun, I didn’t know, my apologies!” She bowed her head. Shikamaru and Neji both stared at her. 

 

“What are you talking about, Naru?” Shikamaru asked. Naru looked up at him, wide eyed.

 

“I didn’t know you were appointed the fucking Hokage while we were gone! Because that’s the  _ only _ person Neji-chan needs to answer to about  _ Her _ injuries. I mean, really guys? ‘Where’d she get burned…’ I’m sat right here, I can  _ hear _ you,”

 

Shikamaru flushed a little and crossed his arms. “I was just-“

 

“Being weird. But I don’t want to hear it right now. I want to get this dumb paperwork done, then go get food. You said you’d help, not be distracting,” She picked her pen back up and winked at him. “Don’t stress too much about my injuries, Shika-kun, I’m fine, I bounce back, you know I do,”

 

“Just because you heal fast, that doesn’t mean you should have to,” He snapped, “You risk too much,”

 

“Actually, I agree with Nara there,” Neji said, pointing his pen at him and looking at Naru. Naru frowned.

 

“Ah, no way! I just came to your defense! Don’t do me like that, Bright eyes!” 

 

Neji bit back a smile and turned to his paperwork. “I told you, you mean a lot to people,” 

 

Naru flushed, covering half her face with her hand and scribbling a little more on her paper. “Would you rate this mission a success?” 

 

“Yes,” Neji said, turning his page. “We resolved a lot, I feel,”

 

Shikamaru made an unhappy noise, leaning his chair back again. Naru circled the yes. They were quiet for a few minutes and then Naru looked up at Neji again.

 

“What did you say about encountering enemy nin? Did you include Ranmaru-chan or did you just count Raiga?”

 

“Just Raiga, but I elaborated on Ranmaru’s status,”

 

Naru hummed, chewing the end of the pen that Neji leant her. She slid her eyes over her paper and considered what she’d say. She glanced up, and Shikamaru was staring at the place where the pen was touching her lips. “What?”

 

Shikamaru started slightly, and Neji looked up, a frustrated look on his face until he saw her, her lips around the end of the borrowed pen. He immediately stared at Shikamaru, who cleared his throat. “Get that out of your mouth,” Shikamaru snapped, “You don’t know where it’s been,”

 

“I’m not sure if that’s insulting or not,” Neji mused, smirking. Naru grinned, pulling the pen away from her mouth and pointing it at him.

 

“You aren’t being very nice today, Shika-kun,”

 

“Nice? Yeah right,” He grumbled, looking away. She smiled and unhooked his foot from the leg of the table, sending him thudding backward to the ground. He lay there, making no move to get back up, staring at the ceiling as she muffled her laughter in her hand. Neji was chewing the inside of his cheek.

 

When the giggles subsided, she got out of her chair and grabbed the back of Shikamaru’s, lifting him and the chair back into place and smiling at him. “Come on, Grumpy, cheer up! I haven’t seen you in ages. Can’t you just act like your normal self? For me?” She hissed in a feigned whisper, leaning in and grinning. He flicked her temple gently.

 

“You still piss me off as much as ever,” He muttered. She laughed and sat back down, scribbling a few more sentences then looking at Neji, who was back to filling out his own forms.

 

“Do I piss you off, Bright eyes?” She asked, resting her chin in her hands. Neji didn’t look up.

 

“No,” He said, “you couldn’t if you tried,”

 

“Careful, Hyuga,” Shikamaru said, setting his forehead on the table and mumbling into it, “she’ll take that as a challenge. I speak from experience,”

 

Naru giggled, sliding her paper back and forth on the table and tapping her feet on the ground happily, “I haven’t forgotten my promise, Shika-kun! I’m still gonna get you to fight me,”

 

Shikamaru groaned into the table. “I thought you’d forgotten about that. Damn,”

 

Neji looked up at Naru, and chewed the inside of his cheek again. She raised her eyebrows. “What’s up?”

 

“You won’t forget  _ our _ promise, will you, Naru-san?”

 

Naru paused, then smiled at him, waving her hand. “Forget our promise? I never forget any promise, let alone one for you, stupid!” Shikamaru shot upright and stared at her. 

 

“What promise?” He said, staring between she and Neji. Neji just shook his head. “What promise?” Shikamaru hissed, leaning toward Naru. Naru squinted at him. 

 

“Nothing! Just that I behave myself while I’m away. Same kinda shit you always tell me to do. No big,” She scribbled something else on her page as he stared at her. 

 

“You promised  _ him _ you’d behave yourself?” Shikamaru asked. Naru shrugged.

 

“Yep,”

 

Shikamaru glanced at Neji, who was obviously trying not to smile as he read over what he’d written. “You never promised _ me _ you’d behave yourself,” Shikamaru said. Naru sighed and looked up at him.

 

“You never asked me to,” She said. Shikamaru fidgeted and glanced at Neji again.

 

“If I did, would you?”

 

“Depends on what kinda behaviour you’re looking for,” She said, smiling at him. She leaned in. “If you expect me to spend three damn years bored outta my mind, I’m gonna have to disappoint you,”

 

“Can you promise me not to get mixed up in anything too stupid while you’re gone, then?” He said. Naru laughed.

 

“I’m something too stupid, Shika-kun, but yeah, I’ll do my best,”

 

Shikamaru nodded, and settled back into his chair, crossing his arms and looking at Neji again. Neji ignored him. Naru scrawled the final line of her report and slid it over to Neji. 

 

“Can you read that over and see if it’s okay? Cause I’m on probation and I don’t wanna mess this up,”

 

“But you risked disappearing for three damn days,” Shikamaru groused. Naru shot him a look, but he reached forward. “I can look it over Naru, our writing styles are probably more similar. We have more in common, after all,”

 

Neji’s hand shot forward and he picked up the paper. Naru and Shikamaru both stared at him. He cleared his throat. “I have filled out more of these, I believe I’d be a better candidate to look it over,” He glared up at Shikamaru, “And Naru-san did ask me first, after all,”

 

Naru felt panic rise in her chest again.  _ No! They’re being smart people rivals! This is terrible. This is very, very bad. _

 

Naru shifted awkwardly in her seat as Neji read over her form, making notes on a scrap piece of paper as he went along. He handed them both back with a nod. “Just, elaborate a little on these notes and you’ll be perfect,”

 

“Thanks, Bright eyes,” She said, trying to keep the sadness out of her voice. Neji hesitated, then nodded again and returned to his own form. She began making the changes he suggested, until Shikamaru leaned in. 

 

“After you’re done, I’ll buy you barbecue,” He whispered. She smiled at her paper and pushed him back.

 

“Shikamaru-kun! I’m trying to focus,”

 

“Or ramen, your choice,” He whispered, looking around the table like he was telling her a secret. “And we’ll just save whatever you don’t choose for next time,”

 

“How many times are you planning on buying me food, exactly?” Naru whispered. Shikamaru flushed. 

 

“As many times as you let me,”

 

“I’ll let you buy me all the food I can eat, Shika-kun, don’t challenge me,”

 

Neji set his pen down and cleared his throat. Naru and Shikamaru both looked up. 

 

“You two are not being quiet. Maybe the Library isn’t an appropriate place for us to do this work. Naru-san, as your team leader, I’ll buy you dinner while we finish this. Ramen, right?” He glanced at Shikamaru, “Your favourite is ramen, if I remember correctly,”

 

“Damn, okay, looks like you can save your money, Grumpy,” She said. Neji got to his feet and offered Naru a hand to help her up. She ignored it and leapt to her feet on her own. They left the library and she skipped along the road, taking note of the new buildings on that side of town.  _ I’ll have to buy more potato chips soon. _

 

They all filed into Ichiraku and Naru sat between them, placing all of their orders and looking at Neji’s papers. Shikamaru seemed like he was sulking about something. She frowned at him.

 

“What’s wrong, Grumpy?”

 

“Huh? Nothing, I’m fine,” He said, tracing a seam in the counter with his finger. She shrugged and finished up her paper. She held it out to him.

 

“Can you have a look at this?”

 

He glanced at her face then took the paper, reading over it and humming to himself. He smiled when he got about halfway down, and she peered over his shoulder. It was where she’d crossed out an obvious spelling mistake. She flushed and settled back into her seat as the soup was set in front of her. Shikamaru reached the bottom and handed it back.

 

“You didn’t have to be that detailed. Like I said, they don’t really read them all that carefully,” He snapped a pair of chopsticks and stirred his noodles. “But you did better than I thought you would,”

 

Naru smiled. “I’ll take that as a compliment,” She turned to Neji, who was still writing his report. She picked up a pair of chopsticks and slid them slowly into his line of sight. He looked up at her as she beamed at him. “Okay, food’s here, take a break,” She waved the chopsticks in front of his face, “I wanna eat a meal with my friends,” she laughed as he took the chopsticks, “To celebrate me promising to behave myself,”

 

Neji cracked his chopsticks and nodded. “To keeping promises,” He agreed. Shikamaru paused. 

 

“I’ll say cheers to that,” He muttered. Naru grinned at the pair of them and started in on her noodles. 

 

“Me too,” She said, blowing on the hot noodles before slurping them up. Shikamaru snorted and followed her lead. Neji smiled.

 

She was happy. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Prom Queen, Beach Bunny (honestly just... anything by beach bunny is Naru)
> 
> Neji: From Eden, Hozier
> 
> Shikamaru: Belt Loops, The Films
> 
> Tenten: Just scream in frustration
> 
> (Hey I have a tumblr again for the first time in ages so hmu @ paperprincex)


	118. Sakura, Dropping Some Eaves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's not wrong to listen to other people's conversations if you really really want to know what they're saying

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sakura and Shikamaru are ~bros~
> 
> hey if you wanna yell at me over anything 
> 
> twitter: @paperprincess10
> 
> my new tumblr: paperprincex
> 
> or just shout into a trashcan idk

 

Sakura had never been so sore in her life. Tsunade had been working her to the bone. Every inch of her body hurt like a torn muscle, and she wanted nothing more than to sleep. 

 

Well that wasn’t really true.

 

She wanted to see Naru more than she wanted to sleep. She’d run into Tenten, who she knew had been on the same mission as her friend. When she asked Tenten where Naru was, Tenten had just closed her eyes and groaned.

 

“The library,”

 

Sakura froze. “Why?” 

 

“She’s doing paperwork,” She said, “They’re helping her. Well, they probably aren’t helping her, they’re probably duelling to the death as she makes daisy chains or something,”

 

“Who? Kiba-san and Shikamaru-san?”

 

Tenten covered her face in her hands. “No. But that’s just great. Kiba-san is in it too? Does she at least know about _ him _ ?”

 

Sakura sighed. “Who’s her newest victim?” She asked, bracing for the answer. Tenten peeked from behind her fingers at the younger girl.

 

“Lord above. It’s Neji-chan. And he’s got it bad,”

 

“They’ve all got it bad,” Sakura said. Tenten let her hands fall. 

 

“Who are you rooting for?” 

 

Sakura shrugged. “Eh, no one, honestly. I’m not entirely convinced she’s picking anyone,” She rubbed her shoulder, wincing slightly, “Definitely not before she leaves, that’s for sure,”

 

Tenten leaned in. “Put in a good word for Neji-chan for me. He deserves to be happy,”

 

Sakura laughed. “I’ll think about it,” She said. Tenten smiled. 

 

“I have faith in you!” Tenten called after her. Sakura waved over her shoulder and headed toward the library. On her way, she passed Ichiraku. She paused when she heard a familiar unenthusiastic drawl. 

 

“Ugh, Naru, come on,” Shikamaru groaned. Naru cackled.

 

“Come on Shika-kun, you know you wanna,”

 

Sakura rushed forward and parted the curtains, revealing Naru, holding out a piece of kamaboko to Shikamaru, who was looking down at it like it was a threat. Neji was watching with a stoic expression on his face that was almost laughable. Before she could so much as breathe a word, Naru had whipped around and yanked her into a tight hug.

 

“Sakura-chan!” Naru squeaked, backing up and grabbing her wrists, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet. Sakura smiled at the hug, but quickly bristled. 

 

“What the HELL do you think you were doing disappearing on us all? Do you think that’s cute? I could kill you Naru-chan!” Sakura shouted, startling everyone around them. Naru pouted.

 

“Oh come on, Sakura-chan! I’ve heard this lecture twice already!”

 

“Well you’re gonna hear it again, and LOUDER,” She snapped, “listen, do you have any idea what it was like to hear that you’d come back from your mission COVERED in BLOOD and then immediately after that, hear ‘now no one can find her’? No one even knew if you were okay! You broke out of the hospital the second you could move again! And it was  _ days _ , Naru-chan! Days! We were all looking for you. We knew you were here, but you’re not a kid anymore, you can’t just play hide and seek, you can’t just disappear. You didn’t even show up to your debriefing! You’re lucky Tsunade-sama isn’t taking punitive measures!”

 

“Punitive? Like… Small?” Naru asked, confused. Sakura grabbed Naru’s shoulders and shook her.

 

“It means you’re lucky she’s not demoting you, dingus,” She yelled in her face. Naru smiled.

 

“I am pretty lucky, aren’t I,”

 

Sakura turned around and screamed into the street. Naru grabbed her friend’s shoulders and leaned forward. “Sakura-chan!” She whined, “Please forgive me! I know I was wrong!”  She slid her hands down to her sides and pulled her into a hug, pressing her forehead into Sakura’s shoulder, “I’m sorry!”

 

“What were you even doing for three entire days?” Sakura asked. Naru popped her head up and rested her chin on Sakura’s shoulder, glancing at Neji out of the corner of her eyes.

 

“Just… the wrong things. I know I should have been here, I was wrong, please forgive me!”

 

Naru rocked Sakura side to side, and Sakura hung her head and smiled. “Okay, okay, I forgive you, but if you ever pull that kinda crap again I’ll kill you, I swear I will,”

 

Naru gave her a quick squeeze and let go. “Okay, okay, I gotcha,” She turned back to the boys. “Hey Bright eyes, you almost done with all that paperwork?”

 

“I just want to finish this conclusion, one moment,” He said. Naru nodded and gestured for Sakura to sit. She did, and Naru took her seat back, popping the komboku Shikamaru had refused into her mouth and chugging the broth from her bowl. Shikamaru watched her with a hungry expression, and Sakura shifted in her seat and leaned into his personal space.

 

“What are you thinking about, Shikamaru-san?”

 

He jumped and looked at her. She smirked. He cleared his throat and shifted in his seat. “Shogi,” He said, leaning back away from her a little. Sakura narrowed her eyes.

 

“Yeah? What about shogi? We should play against each other some time,”

 

“Huh? I played a game with the guards while I was waiting for Naru,” He said. Sakura grinned.

 

“Wanna play a round with me?” She asked, her eyes getting even narrower. Shikamaru cleared his throat again, looking like he was in pain. 

 

“Eventually, maybe, that’d be okay,”

 

“How about we go now while they hand in their reports? I figured we could talk,”

 

“Sakura-chan! Don’t steal Shika-kun from me! I wanted to go cloudwatch with him!” Naru whined. Sakura shot her friend a bright smile. 

 

“Just one game,” She said, passing the vendor some money for Shikamaru’s food. Naru was about to start complaining again, but Neji leaned in.

 

“Let them go and relax while we finish our work, Naru-san. It’s unfair to keep him on tenterhooks while we finish our work. You’ll be able to meet up later,”

 

Naru frowned and fidgeted, looking up at Shikamaru, who really did look like he was on tenterhooks, waiting for her answer. Sakura his her smile in her hand.  _ You aren’t helping your case with that kicked puppy look, Shikamaru.  _ Naru sighed.

 

“Okay, I’ll catch you up later,” She said, crossing her arms. Sakura got to her feet, grabbing the back of Shikamaru’s vest and pulling him off the chair. She glanced back and pricked her ears, listening hard. Sure enough, Neji leaned in again. 

 

**_Don’t leave! I wanna hear this!_ **

 

“Naru-san,” He started. Sakura pulled Shikamaru out of the hut and down the path a little way. She held a finger to her lips and gestured to double back. Shikamaru froze and followed. They stood quietly by the side of the hut.

 

**_Yes! I knew you’d come through, Sakura!_ **

 

_ Quiet! _

 

“What’s up?” Naru said, in the tent.

 

“I wanted you to know that I am… proud of what you achieved on our mission. You are stronger than people give you credit for,”

 

“Thanks Bright eyes!” She said. Shikamaru was looking intently at the side of the hut, jaw twitching. Sakura closed her eyes and nodded. 

 

“I also wanted you to know…” Neji said, the rustle of papers just audible in the open air, “that nothing could ever change with time. I will be your friend still, when you return. I know…” He cleared his throat, and for a moment, Sakura felt dirty.  _ Eavesdropping on something like this… _

 

**_Oh shut up and listen, why don’t you!_ ** Ibara snapped,  **_I wanna hear what he has to say!_ **

 

“You’ll always be the one who pulled me from the darkness. And I will always be thankful for that,”

 

There was a pause, then they heard chair legs scraping. Sakura nodded. 

 

**_They’re hugging!_ **

 

_ I know. _

 

Shikamaru tensed up. He was frowning, like he was thinking hard, but Sakura just kept her eyes fixed on the ground. Then Naru spoke.

 

“You’re a kick-ass friend, you know that?” She said, her voice regaining it’s usual raucous tone. Neji laughed nervously. Sakura pointed away, and Shikamaru nodded. They leapt out, into the trees, sinking into the shadows as Naru and Neji left the hut and started out toward the Hokage’s dome. When they were out of sight, Shikamaru collapsed onto his tree branch, looking supremely unhappy. 

 

“What a drag!”

 

“It’s pretty clear they’re just friends,” Sakura said. Shikamaru glared up at her.

 

“It’s pretty clear he’s about a day away from buying her a ring. This sucks. I thought I was done with this messy crap when Kiba and that puppet idiot started whatever they have going,” He frowned up, looking through the leaves at the clouds, “Why’d you do that?”

 

Sakura shrugged. “I caught wind that there was something going on. I wanted to hear for myself, and they wouldn’t have said anything with you around,”

 

 ** _And I wanted to hear too._** Ibara laughed. Sakura ignored her.

 

“And I figured you’d wanna know. The best way to find stuff out is to ask, but the safest is to spy,” She rubbed her sore shoulder again. Shikamaru was making a circle with his hands, watching as clouds rocketed by overhead. The air seemed still, where they were, but Sakura wasn’t sure if she’d ever seen clouds move so fast before. Shikamaru hummed thoughtfully. Sakura frowned and pointed at him.

 

“I don’t like that,” She snapped. He dropped his hands and glared at her.

 

“You don’t like what?”

 

“Don’t strategise this. Don’t make a plan. That’d be kinda fucked up of you,”

 

“You don’t know-“

 

“I’m not dumb,” She snapped, “You’re too used to being around Ino and Naru-chan. But I don’t play these games and I definitely don’t let people play them with Naru-chan,” She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms, “I know you just want her for yourself, but you can’t start something when she’s about to leave. It’d be too hard on her. She’d wanna be around. She’s only got two and a bit weeks left. Just be her friend. Just be there for her. Don’t be selfish,”

 

“Do you like her?” Shikamaru asked, narrowing his eyes at her. Sakura ran her tongue over her teeth.

 

“She’s my best friend,”

 

“That isn’t what I asked,” 

 

**_Be honest, Sakura._ **

 

_ There’s no need to lie, he’s just being nosy. _

 

“No,” She said, truthfully. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t know what I’m talking about,”

 

Shikamaru crossed his arms and frowned. “No I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant the last thing  _ I _ need is more competition. This is a pain in my ass,”

 

“Well, if you don’t think she’s worth it you can always just give up and get over her,” Sakura said, dropping to the ground. Shikamaru uncrossed his arms and stared at her like she’d just suggested he cut off his own head.

 

“Uh, no,” he said, dropping out of his own tree and coming to stand in front of her. Sakura shook her head.

 

“Then grow up and act like a ninja,” Sakura snapped. “This isn’t about you, it’s about her. If you play around with her emotions right now, the way she’s probably feeling at the moment, everything considered, she’ll be messed up the whole time she’s gone. She needs to heal while she’s away, get stronger… Get over Sasuke,”

 

“So she and he were… they were…”

 

“No one knows what they were. As far as I’m aware they were just friends. Well… I’m not sure there’s really a ‘just’ about it,” 

 

Shikamaru nodded, and took a deep breath. “I just… I just wanna be around her. I know she’s gotta go do her thing, but… I’m gonna miss her,”

 

“Everyone is gonna miss her, Shikamaru-san, that’s just who she is, she makes you love her then she does some dumb crap, or she tries to get herself killed, or she leaves… Because she doesn’t realise that she matters,” Sakura swallowed thickly and looked away. “And we all get left in the wake of it,”

 

Shikamaru sighed and looked back up at the sky, putting his hands in his pockets. “This isthe worst,” He looked back at her, squeezing one eye shut and flashing her a crooked smile. “I’m guessing you were lying about the shogi too, huh?”

 

Sakura laughed. “No, we can go play if you want,”

 

“Yeah,” he said, walking out onto the path, “I think that’d be good. I’ve never played against a girl before,”

 

“Your loss,” she said, “I’m actually not bad with strategy games. I’m not as good as you, but I can hold my own,”

 

“Well I hope you’re better than Asuma-sensei,” Shikamaru drawled, “He’s a garbage shogi player,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sakura: Sports, Beach Bunny
> 
> Shikamaru: Cough Syrup, Young the Giant
> 
> Naru: Eros And Apollo, Studio Killers
> 
> Neji: Ghosting, Mother Mother


	119. Naru, The Nickname

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru gets a new name

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i’m so ashamed of myself.

Naru was working out when the ANBU came and let her know it was time for her next assignment. She’d been carrying logs, maneuvering them through the forest. She’d been doing too much upper body work. Her legs were weaker than she was happy with. 

 

“The Hokage wants you now,” The ANBU said, flicking her hair back and crossing her arms. Naru heaved the log up, over her head, and whipped it through the woods. She and the Anbu watched as it struck a tree a few yards away and then hit the ground with a massive thud. Leaves and twigs rained down over it. The ANBU looked back at her.

 

“Are you quite done?”

 

“ _ Quite _ done? What are you? A theosaurus?”

 

“That is not how you say that,” The ninja said. Naru rolled her eyes. 

 

“Lets go,” She snapped, following the ninja back to the village. The ANBU led her to the Hokage’s dome and pushed her inside. Naru frowned and went to her office. No one was in, not even Shizune, and she was forced to wait awkwardly in the room, looking around. She eyed the stacks of forms on the desk.

 

_ One day this’ll be my office… I guess I’ll have to get used to paperwork… _

 

She walked forward and checked over her shoulder at the door.  _ No one there… _

 

She peered at the papers on the desk. At the top was a report from Kurenai. An S rank solo mission. Naru glanced over it. It was an assassination. She’d killed a group of missing nin who’d been causing some rich asshole trouble off in the west. She flipped to the next paper. It was a report from Shino’s father, Shibi Aburame, on the breeding status of the ashwinder cicadas. Naru smirked.  _ So it’s not just mission stuff. Even little stuff runs by the Hokage.  _

 

There was talking, and the door swung open. Naru dropped the forms back on the desk and backed up. Ino and Choji were walking in, closely followed by Shikamaru and Tsunade. Naru took a step back as Tsunade’s eyes landed on her guilty face. She blocked the door , her hands on her hips. Naru felt herself starting to sweat.

 

“So, she decides to show,” She sneered. Naru shot her a guilty smile.

 

“Tsunade Baa-chan!” Naru said. Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji all backed away a few steps as Tsunade stomped closer. 

 

“So you thought you’d just play hide and seek huh? You thought you’d just not let anyone know where the hell you were?”

 

“I’m sorry, Baa-chan!” Naru said, running behind Tsunade’s desk and ducking as Tsunade whipped a paperweight at her like a baseball. Tsunade picked up her letter opener.

 

“You think you’re sorry now! You have a job to do you little hellion!” She bellowed, whipping the letter opener at her like a kunai. Naru used a book to deflect it and squeaked.

 

“Tsunade Baa-chan! Did you call me here just to beat me up in front of my friends?” She complained, dropping the book and skirting around the other three, running toward the door. Tsunade picked up her desk chair and whipped it into Naru’s path, causing her to skid to a halt and look up at the hokage, panic rising in her chest.

 

“No,” Tsunade said, regaining her composure and standing behind her desk, splaying her hands out on it and taking a deep breath. She indicated that they should all come forward with a flick of her eyes and they all shuffled nervously into place, Naru a little ways off to the side, away from team Asuma. “I have an assignment for this squad,”

 

“I guessed that,” Naru grumbled. She ducked again as a scroll went flying at her head, but Tsunade just continued calmly.

 

“It’s a fairly basic escort mission. The daughter of a feudal lord needs an escort from here to her family’s palace. She’s fourteen years old, and has been very vocal about the need for higher taxation in her provence in order to expand their already extensive palace. As a result... She has a small hit out on her. We aren’t sure if any rogue nin or bounty hunters have picked up on it, but you should all be on your guard. You’re to pick her up from the Eastern hotel in forty five minutes and then be on your way, her palace is three day northwest of here. Shikamaru is the leader of this assignment. Any questions?”

 

“Yeah, I got one, She sounds like an asshole. Why do we have to keep her safe?” Naru snapped. Tsunade gripped her fists and glowered at her.

 

“Because I told you to, and her father is paying you idiots,” She snapped. Naru frowned, stretching out her arms and then shrugging.

 

“Whatever,” she said. They turned to leave, but Tsunade called Naru back.

 

“One more thing,” She snapped. Naru looked over her shoulder and smiled at Tsunade.

 

“Baa-chan?”

 

“Don’t piss her off,” Tsunade said, “Her father hires our nin for a lot of missions. I would have rather to have anyone, and I mean,  _ anyone _ , but no one else would take it, but you have to keep the girl happy,”

 

“Is she that bad?” Naru asked, her curiosity spiking. Tsunade let out a laugh.

 

“Oh, you really don’t know the half of it,” Tsunade said, “This really is enough punishment for you ducking out on your last briefing,” 

 

Naru hesitated, but then scooted out of the room before Tsunade could throw anything else at her. Shikamaru was waiting for her in the hallway, looking bored. Choji was leaning against the wall across from him and regretting that they didn’t have enough time to go get barbecue before they left. Naru grinned at him, elbowing him in the side gently.

 

“We’ll have to make up for it when we get back. Six days on a mission… Should be fun!”

 

“For you!” Ino sneered. Naru froze. 

 

“Oh yeah… You’re coming…” She said, flushing a little. Ino huffed and stomped down the hallway.

 

“I have to go pack. We don’t all just wear our sweaty workout clothes everywhere,” She snapped. Naru sighed.

 

“Do either of you know why she hates me so much?” She asked them. Shikamaru shook his head, and Choji let out a laugh.

 

“It’s probably because people actually like talking to you,” He laughed. Shikamaru snorted. Naru ruffled her hair and frowned. “She’s not that bad,” Choji amended, “She’s just insecure,”

 

Naru looked at Shikamaru, who still hadn’t said a word, or so much as made eye contact with her, and bounced nervously on the balls of her feet. He looked at her, and the bored expression on his face broke. He flashed her his usual crooked grin, and she beamed back.

 

“Don’t worry about it, Naru,” He said, stepping forward and tossing his arm over her shoulders, leaning his weight on her, “She’s just jealous because Sakura’s your best friend now,”

 

Naru flushed bright red and tapped her toes on the floor. “Think so?”

 

“Naru-chan,” Choji laughed, “No one can spend six hours with you without warming up, let alone six days. She’ll be fine,”

 

Naru nodded, and they started down the hallway together. Choji and Shikamaru were heading a different direction when they left the dome, and Naru rushed back to her apartment. When she was inside, she quickly stripped out of her dirty clothes and hopped into the shower, scrubbing herself down and rinsing off before rocketing around her apartment, packing everything in sight. She thought she was ready to go, until she felt the crackle of soap bubbles in her hair. She stuck her head under the sink and did her best to rinse it as quickly as possible. 

 

It had been forty minutes by the time she thundered down the stair and out of her apartment, her hair still sopping wet, plastered to her face and her headband around her neck. She sprinted east, toward the hotel where the princess was staying. 

 

When she arrived, she skidded to a halt, bumping into Shikamaru, who shot her a confused look. 

 

“Why is your hair down?” He said. She pushed it back, then shook the water off her hand. “And why are you wet?”

 

“She probably took a shower,” Ino said, “Which was a good idea, considering how bad she smelled,”

 

Naru ignored her, looking around. Choji was munching on a bag of crisps and there was no princess in sight. Naru breathed a relieved sigh. “Oh good, I’m not late,”

 

Shikamaru snorted. “No, you’re late. Just lucky. The girl is too. We’ve been out here for five minutes,”

 

“Still,” Naru said with a roguish grin and a wink to Choji, who was covering his mouth as he laughed. “What were you guys talking about?”

 

“Nothing important,” Shikamaru said, looking up at the sky, “just going over what we packed, making sure we weren’t missing anything,”

 

“Oh okay,” She said. She was inwardly glad team Kakashi had never done that. She was sure Sasuke and Sakura would know exactly what was in their bags, but Naru never knew what she packed until she unpacked it. Ino picked up on her silence.

 

“Did you forget anything, Naru? An extra pair of ugly pants? A stupid expression to make when you don’t understand something?”

 

Naru gasped, patting her pockets. “Oh no! maybe I did actually forget something!” She rummaged through them dramatically, then sighed, relieved. “Nope! I got it, don’t worry!” She pulled her hand back out and flipped Ino off. 

 

Ino growled and leapt forward, seizing the front of Naru’s shirt and yanking her as Choji almost choked laughing. Shikamaru patted him on the back as Ino shook Naru with all her strength. Just then, the door to the hotel opened, revealing a girl with hip-length black hair, dark green eyes, and a book in her hands with a dark cover. She was wearing a traditional pink Kimono and wooden sandals. All four ninja sprang to attention, Choji holding in a cough.

 

“Princess Nyoko?” Ino asked. The girl looked up at her and her eyes slid over Ino’s appearance.

 

“Cute top,” She said, apathetically. Her eyes slid lower and she pulled a face, “hideous shoes,” Ino flushed, but bit her tongue. Nyoko looked at Choji, who was finally coughing again, and wrinkled her nose. She then looked at Naru, who was reading the cover of her book with a frown.

 

“You can carry my bag,” Nyoko said, holding it out and dropping it on the ground. Naru looked up at her, one eyebrow raised.

 

“You aren’t supposed to be able to buy Makeout Violence  _ or _ Makeout Paradise unless you’re eighteen years or older,” She said. Nyoko let out a fake giggle.

 

“What are you, a narc? Anyway,” she flipped her hair, “Rules like that are for poor people, kid,” She said. Naru bit her top lip to keep herself from laughing and picked up Nyoko’s bag, slinging it over her shoulder. Nyoko looked her up and down, then her eyes fell on Shikamaru. She snapped her book shut and smiled.

 

“Well hello, soldier boy!” She said, tucking her book in her sleeve as though to hide it. Shikamaru looked behind him, as though expecting someone else to be standing there, then stepped back. 

 

“Huh?” He said, stepping back again as she approached him. Naru bit her top lip again, feeling it split and start to bleed into her mouth. 

 

“You’re going to be my  _ personal _ guard,” Nyoko said, looping her arm through his. Shikamaru looked at Choji, then Naru for help, but they were both holding back fits of laughter. Choji’s face was so red that Naru was almost scared he might burst a blood vessel. Ino cleared her throat.

 

“We’re  _ all _ your personal guard,” She said, crossing her arms and cocking her hip. Nyoko looked at her disparagingly.

 

“What, are you his girlfriend or something?”

 

Naru did actually burst out laughing there, staggering to one side. Choji followed shortly after. Naru fell, thudding to the ground with tears of mirth in her eyes. Nyoko smiled.

 

“I’ll take that as a no,” She steered Shikamaru around and began marching down the path to the front gates. “Let’s go! I hate to wait,”

 

Choji bent down and offered Naru a hand to help her up, which she took, wiping her eyes quickly and gasping for breath. Ino glared at the pair of them.

 

“What?” She snapped at Naru, “You’re just gonna let her do that?”

 

Naru grinned, still trying to inflate her lungs fully, “Yeah. It’s the funniest thing I’ve ever seen,” She giggled. Choji held his stomach. 

 

“Oh gods, Shikamaru and Ino-chan… Can you imagine?”

 

Naru snorted, stumbling forward as Choji leaned on her, laughing again. Ino turned bright red.

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She snapped. Naru waved her hand vaguely in the air and hummed.

 

“Don’t worry Ino-san, you’ll find your  _ soldier boy _ someday!” She cackled. 

 

But within two hours, the novelty of Nyoko had worn off. She was loudly offering Shikamaru a job as her permanent body guard, and ignoring his polite excuses.

 

“Oh don’t worry about your old post, Shika-kun,” She was saying, “Daddy will pay to have it filled with someone else!”

 

“But as a matter of duty…” Shikamaru protested, his face getting redder and redder. Nyoko waved away his  _ duties _ and  _ honour _ . 

 

“Nonsense, don’t worry, I’ll have the arrangements made when we get back home,”

 

Naru was grinding her teeth now, clutching the leather strap of Nyoko’s bag so hard it was making a creaking noise she wasn’t sure was a good thing. Ino was the one smiling now.

 

“Shikamaru-chan!” Ino called, smirking, “What do you say we break for a quick lunch? You’re the boss, after all!”

 

Nyoko leaned into Shikamaru’s side. “Oh yes! Let’s set up a picnic,”

 

“Sounds good,” He said, shaking her off his arm, “Hey!” he turned and made eye contact with Naru, “Come with me to get firewood. You two can keep an eye on Nyoko,”

 

“Why do we need firewood for a picnic?” Naru snapped. Shikamaru stomped forward and took her arm, pulling her off the path with a gentle urgency.

 

“Because I said so, come on,” He snapped, dragging her further and further away from the other three. When they were well out of earshot, he dropped to the ground, letting out a sigh. He held up a hand to her, and pulled her down across from him, like they’d sat in her apartment all those weeks before.

 

“She’s pissing me off,” Naru groused, bringing her knees up to her chest and frowning at her toes. Shikamaru raised his eyebrows.

 

“She’s pissing  _ you _ off? Do you realise she was quoting your teacher’s weird book at me for twenty five minutes?”

 

“Yeah,” Naru snorted, “And saying you looked like how she pictured the hero,”

 

Shikamaru smiled at her. “You know I’m only tolerating it because we’re supposed to make sure we don’t piss her off, right?”

 

Naru shot forward, batting her eyelashes at him. “What? You mean you  _ don’t _ think that you and her are ‘fated to meet, like from the moment cherry blossoms bloom, they are fated to meet the ground,’?”

 

Shikamaru flushed. “I can’t tell if Nyoko misunderstood that metaphor or if the Sage really thought that line was romantic,” He laughed. Naru laughed too, settling back into her haunches and leaning over his outstretched legs, setting her hand down on his other side and squinting up at the sky. It was too sunny out to cloudwatch effectively. She settled for looking at Shikamaru’s face, memorising his rare smile as he picked at a loose thread on his vest.

 

“The Pervert wrote that line for the villain, but it’s always misinterpreted as romantic,” She said, squeezing one eye shut, then looking at the ground, picking up a twig and breaking it in her fist. Shikamaru laughed.

 

“Did you read the book?”

 

“Nah,” Naru laughed, “I don’t read that kinda stuff. He complains about it a lot, that’s all,” she dropped the twig and ran her hand through her hair, looking back up at him. Her eyes shot wide, and she patted her face and head, panicking. Shikamaru laughed.

 

“Your headband is around your neck again, Blondie,”

 

Naru reached down and pulled the headband up over her forehead, squinting at him. 

 

“Blondie?” She teased, smirking. Shikamaru flushed.

 

“It just slipped out,” he said, “Sorry,”

 

Naru laughed. “No, I kinda like it… the only nickname anyone ever used for me was ‘Dobe’...”

 

“He used to call you that…”

 

Naru grit her teeth and picked up a pebble. She whipped it as hard as she could, listening to it ricochet off trees as it rocketed away from them. “Yeah… He did,” Shikamaru paused for a second. Naru looked at him and forced a smile into her face. “Stupid, huh?”

 

“I think I have a better one than ‘Blondie’,” he said, tilting his head and smirking at her. She cocked an eyebrow at him.

 

“Oh yeah? What is it? Dumbass? Drag? Loser?” She teased. He shook his head and smiled.

 

“No, nothing like that,” He flushed and looked up at the overbright sky, “I was thinking…”

 

“What?” She asked, putting her hand on his knee and shaking it. He looked back at her and squinted, the goofy smile still on his face.

 

“I think from now on I’ll call you Sunshine,” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Creature, BONES (UK)
> 
> Shikamaru: You Are My Sunshine, Johnny Cash


	120. Shikamaru, Girl Problems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shikamaru has 99 problems and they're all a drag

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lmaooo is it okay to hate your own oc passionately

 

He liked it when she blushed. Her whole face went red, and at that moment, she couldn’t even come up with a response. She was all wide, blue eyes and tomato red skin. He wanted to kiss her. The thought surprised him. He’d never really gotten an urge like that before. He had always thought kissing was stupid, and probably uncomfortable, what, with having your face that close to another person’s face… and where would you put your nose? 

 

You couldn’t just move in head on because then the noses you’ll get in the way. He tilted his head, and then realised that was how they probably did it. They probably tilted their heads and then the lips would fit together. For a moment, he was a little proud of himself for figuring out the logistics of the task, but then he remembered what exactly the task he had been analysing was and shook himself.

 

Naru was looking away from him now, her hands on her burning cheeks and her headband slipping back down to her forehead. He sighed.

 

“Come here, your headband is too loose,” He offered, holding his hands out in an offer. Naru glanced at him then scooted closer, still speechless. Her neck and shoulders were red too. He couldn’t help but smirk to himself as he tightened her headband back up and tied it off. “There you go,” He scooted back and leaned on his arms, smiling at her. “Why so quiet? You don’t like Sunshine?”

 

Naru glanced at him and then smiled at the ground, fidgeting a little. “Yeah. No! I mean… No, I like it… It’s just… Like I said, I never had a nickname before, unless it was about something  _ wrong _ with me,”

 

Shikamaru sighed, looking at her fiercely, “There’s nothing  _ wrong  _ with you! Not a damn thing. You’re a great ninja, and the fact you didn’t do well in the academy reflects badly on  _ them _ , not  _ you, _ ”

 

She looked up at him, and he thought she couldn’t possibly get any redder. How did she have enough blood to keep the rest of her body going? “You… you really think that, Shika-kun?”

 

“Yeah,” he said with a little smile. She grinned back, and Shikamaru felt his stomach spasm. “Hey, I wanted to tell you-“

 

“SHIKA-KUN! WHERE ARE YOU? I WANT TO EAT  _ NOW!”  _ Nyoko’s scream pierced their eardrums. They both winced. 

 

“Guess we should get back, huh? Wouldn’t be a completed mission if she had an aneurysm,” Naru said, getting up and jumping up onto a tree branch. Shikamaru sighed and got to his feet, stepping out of the way as Naru conjured her rasengan and blasted the branch off the tree, sending both she and the thing thudding to the ground. He bent down and offered her a hand. 

 

“Come on, Sunshine, let’s go back,” He said, smiling. Naru stared up at him, wide eyed, and blush back in full force. Naru spluttered as he pulled her to her feet. Shikamaru laughed. “If you’re gonna react this way every time I say it, this mission might actually be salvageable,”

 

“Be quiet!” She snapped, bending down and picking up the tree branch. They set off, dragging it toward camp. Shikamaru was regarding Naru out of the corner of his eye and smiling to himself.  _ Even the tips of her ears are red. I shoulda done this a long time ago. _

 

Naru stomped into camp with her tree branch and set it down. Nyoko was sitting on a blanket and smiling up at Shikamaru. His insides squirmed uncomfortably. It had been a long time since he’d disliked and disregarded all girls on principle, but this girl… She was really trying to bring that back. He glanced up at Naru, who was rummaging through her bag. She pulled out a normal kitchen knife with a ration bar skewered on it and looked at it as though it was the funniest thing she’d ever seen.  _ It’s not all girls. Just this weirdo. _ He reminded himself. Naru pulled off the ration bar and tossed it to Choji, then wedged the knife into the ground and kept rummaging. 

 

“Shika-kun!” Nyoko whined, patting the blanket beside her. Shikamaru glanced down at her, then around at the other three. Choji was unwrapping the stabbed ration bar, looking irritated, which was rare for him. Ino was facing a tree, clutching it so hard her whole body was shaking. Whatever Nyoko had been saying, she was lucky they were under explicit orders to be nice to her. He was impressed, and a little proud, of Ino’s restraint. Usually she would have resorted to violence over the shoe comment, let alone whatever had come after it. 

 

“Shika!” Nyoko said, beginning to look irritated. Shikamaru took a knee on the blanket next to her, which she seemed satisfied with, but he kept his eyes on Naru’s back. Nyoko snapped her fingers and pointed at Ino. “You! The girl! Get us food,”

 

Ino turned to her, murder in her eyes, but stomped over to Naru, who handed her two ration bars and a skein of water. Ino threw them at Shikamaru, who caught them and offered one to Nyoko. Nyoko stuck her nose up at it. 

 

“Don’t you have anything good in that bag, boy?” 

 

“No,” Naru responded, without missing a beat. Everyone paused, expecting her to correct the obnoxious brat, but Naru didn’t say anything about gender. Instead, she just continued talking about the food. “Sorry, princess, but weight matters when you’re packing for a long trip like this, and ration bars are one of the only things that are as nutritionally dense as a full meal, but light enough to carry a weeks worth at a time,”

 

“What’s the point of all those muscles if you can’t carry anything worth eating?” Nyoko snapped. Naru smiled at her over her shoulder.

 

“Princess, I’m carrying enough rations to keep six people fed for a week and a half, and weaponry, and supplies,  _ and _ apparently a steak knife,” She yanked it out of the ground and waved it in the air, before shoving it back onto her backpack, probably stabbing something else, “And _ your _ bag too. With all do respect, I think I’m putting my muscles to good use. If you want fresh fruit and juice, then start doing pushups and carry your own shit,”

 

Choji snorted. The tension went out of Ino’s shoulders. They both had relieved expressions on their faces. Choji caught Shikamaru’s eye and smiled at him. He knew his best friend well enough to know what that look meant.  _ Thank the gods she’s here.  _ He nodded back. Nyoko, however, seemed less impressed.

 

“How dare you swear at a lady! Shika! Are you just going to let him talk to me like that?” She said, turning to Shikamaru. Shikamaru blinked in surprise, biting into his ration bar.

 

“Actually-” Ino started, glancing at Naru, but Naru stood up and shook her head at Ino. She had that prankster look on her face she always used to get when she pulled something in the academy. Like when she’d put itching powder on Mizuki’s chair. Or filled the Third’s office with mice. Nyoko looked up at Ino disdainfully.

 

“Actually  _ what? _ ”

 

Ino flushed, obviously trying to think fast. Shikamaru cleared his throat. “”I’m sorry, Princess Nyoko, but Sunshine’s my equal. We were both appointed chunin at the same time. I have no authority over… him,” He glanced back up at Naru, who was smiling at this, the blush returning, yet again, to her cheeks. Choji bit his fist and turned away to hide his laughter. Ino blinked and then nodded. Naru put her hands on her hips and flexed, looking like a hero in a bad manga. She winked at Nyoko, who scowled at her.

 

“My father will hear about this!”

 

“You’re assuming your father listens to you when you talk,” Naru laughed, grabbing up a ration bar and walking up a tree, hanging upside down from a branch and sitting on the underside of it, crossing her legs and smiling down at Nyoko. “Really, princess, I do think we can get along. This journey is gonna be three days. I promise I’ll be nice. For their sakes,” She indicated team Asuma. Nyoko turned red with anger.

 

“I’ll have your headband for this!” 

 

“For what?” Naru asked, tilting her head and grinning, “for ration bars and telling the truth? You overestimate your influence… and your father’s. The worst he can do is write a strongly worded letter and stop hiring us. Sure, My paycheck gets smaller, but... “ Naru grinned, “If it means I don’t have to put up with you? I’ll take a paycut any day of the week,”

 

Shikamaru was starting to feel nervous now. Naru was on probation. If the Lord actually did write Tsunade a letter, Naru could get demoted. She’d worked too hard to throw it away on some bratty girl. He looked up at Naru, catching her eye, and shook his head almost imperceptibly. Naru nodded in the same way, and set her hand on the branch, flipping and landing on her feet, the ration bar hanging out of her mouth. She reached into her bag and pulled out a little prepackaged cake, and offered it to Nyoko.

 

“I’ve only got one, I think, so you’ll have to eat a ration bar eventually, but at least it’s some kinda transition to preservatives after all those fancy cooked meals,” She said. Nyoko looked at it, like she was considering turning her nose up again, but took it after another moment. Naru  took another bite out of her bar and peeled the wrapper back a little more. “I told you. I’ll be nice,” She glanced up at Shikamaru and winked. He winked back, behind Nyoko’s back. Naru pointed over at Choji. 

 

“Let’s go patrol,” She said. Choji smiled and straightened up.

 

“Yes sir!” He said. Naru bit back a laugh, and they walked off, leaving Shikamaru with Ino and Nyoko, who was staring at her cake. Ino cleared her throat. 

 

“Shikamaru-chan,” Ino said, glancing at Nyoko, “I think I’ll patrol too,”

 

“Stay close, in case we need you,” He said, and Ino nodded and leapt into the trees. Nyoko leaned into Shikamaru’s side, sighing. 

 

“It’s nice to be alone, almost like a date, don’t you think?” She sighed, taking a bite out of Naru’s cake. Shikamaru thought of Naru, looking up at the sky and smiling, her cheeks flushed.

 

“Yeah,” He said, biting bitterly into his ration bar, “It is nice,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Boy Problems, Carly Rae Jepsen (she's the boy who's the problem)
> 
> Shikamaru: Tongue Tied, Grouplove
> 
> Nyoko's bitch ass: Hayloft, Mother Mother


	121. Naru, And Passing Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru takes a night shift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS WHOLE CHAPTER IS A SELF DRAG. I AM DRAGGING M Y S E L F

Naru was sitting by the fire. It was probably around one or two in the morning. Naru, Choji and Ino had decided to take shifts in the night, keeping watch. The reason for this was Ino’s realisation that the only time they’d get any peace and quiet was while Nyoko was asleep. They had all had an argument under their breath about who’d get to stay up while Nyoko was busy talking at Shikamaru about fashion or something. They’d decided to draw straws, and Naru had gotten the longest. When the other two looked disappointed, she’d offered to divide up the time and take shifts. She didn’t need sleep, not really, she had enough chakra for two days straight, but she still wanted to give the others their turn with the peace and quiet of the night.

 

Naru smiled and stoked the flames, watching her stick fall to cinders, feeling her skin grow tight with the heat of the flames. It had felt like that when she’d fought Sasuke. She sighed, looking up into the stars. Was he thinking of her? Did he regret what he’d done? He had to… He was her comrade, her brother in arms, her best friend. 

 

There was a rustle behind her, and she started, looking around, expecting Ino coming to take her shift early, but instead it was Shikamaru, and he was holding something. 

 

“Hey,” She said, turning back to the campfire and turning the stick between her hands. Shikamaru came and sat next to her on the part of the log that she and Choji hadn’t chopped up into firewood, bumping his shoulder into hers.

 

“Hey,”

 

“Couldn’t sleep?”

 

“More like enjoying the silence,” He laughed. Naru snorted and bumped him back, a little harder than she’d meant to. He caught himself with the hand holding...

 

“What’s that?” She asked, taking a hand off her stick to point. He picked it up and showed her, flashing her a crooked grin.

 

“Some solid ass reading material,” He drawled. Naru’s eyes went wide. 

 

“You swiped her copy of Makeout Violence? Shikamaru-kun! She thought you were her knight in shining shinobi sandals!” 

 

Shikamaru snorted. “She leant it to me. Said it might give me some ideas on how to romance her. I think she might be catching on to the fact I don’t like her very much,”

 

“Or at all,”

 

“Well,” Shikamaru said, “I was trying to be nice,”

 

“Why bother?” Naru said, smiling at him and leaning in to whisper in his ear, “She’s not here,”

 

“Thank the gods for that,” He laughed quietly. Naru straightened up again, poking the fire as Shikamaru turned the book over and over again in his hands. Naru glanced at him.

 

“I won’t judge you if you read it,” She said with a smile, “It’s Kakashi-sensei’s favourite, and the Pervy Sage wrote it. That’s like, most of the adult men in my life right there,” She rolled the stick between her hands again and winked at him, “I’ll just add you to the list of perverts who I like hanging out with,”

 

Shikamaru flushed. “I’m not a pervert! I wasn’t even thinking about reading it,” he looked back down at the book. She laughed, and snatched it out of his hands. 

 

“Fine! Then I’ll read it, since you aren’t. It’ll give me something to do while I’m up…” She opened the front cover, shifting so that her back was to him, and rifled through the pages. She hummed to herself, skimming over the first chapter. She felt Shikamaru fidget behind her. She flipped the page loudly and made another humming noise, then an exaggerated gasp. Shikamaru stiffened, and then reached out to snatch the book out of her hands. She was too quick, and held it out of his range, pushing him back and laughing as he almost clambered over her to get at the book. 

 

“Thought you didn’t wanna read it,” She teased, waving it just so his fingertips could scrabble at the cover and laughing. He blushed so furiously that even in the half light from the campfire she could see.

 

“I don’t wanna read it! I don’t want you to either!” He said, straining to get to the book. Naru leapt to her feet and skipped away around the campfire, holding the book behind her as Shikamaru scrambled in her wake. 

 

“Are you scared it’ll turn me into a raging pervert?”

 

“You’re already a raging pervert! I’ve seen your sexy jutsu!” He hissed. Naru giggled.

 

“Are you afraid that I’ll damage my innocent eyes?” She teased, moving like she was gonna start reading the book again. Shikamaru almost tripped over the pile of cut wood and into the fire trying to snatch the book from her. She danced away, and started reading the thing out loud.

 

“His eyes burned with his fiery passion-“ she giggled, spinning away from Shikamaru’s outstretched hand, “‘I can’t hold back any longer, Hitomu-sama… My desire is too great!’” Naru tripped, and fell back against a tree, but played it up like a swoon, “‘Then take me-” She paused to check the name as Shikamaru closed in, “- Ohta-san, and keep me forever-‘“ She snorted, gasping for breath as Shikamaru towered over her and snatched the book out of her grip, snapping it shut. Naru smirked up at him.

 

“You’re gonna wake everyone up,” He hissed, still stepping closer, well into her personal space. She giggled again.

 

“You know, I think Ohta is the hero that you’re supposed to look like,” She teased, leaning forward and staring him down. He scratched his forehead with his thumb then set his hand down on the tree trunk, above and to the right of her head.

 

“Oh? Was there a description? I’d love a second opinion,”

 

“Yeah, Ohta seems like a cool guy, but he’s all honourable and about like… staying pure. He’s got a big virginity complex about women. He’s supposed to be kinda short, and ripped,” Naru flexed, as though to demonstrate her point. “No, from what Pervy Sage has told me about his plot, I don’t think you’re like him. I think you’re like the villain,” 

 

Shikamaru cocked an eyebrow at her. “Oh? I’m the bad guy in your teacher’s dirty novels?”

“No, just the bad guy of this one,” Naru sneered, “Hideaki, that’s his name. He’s Hitomu’s brother… or maybe… arranged Fiancé? I can't remember… Anyway, he’s like a super genius. He has this elaborate plot to separate Hitomu from Ohta. And he’s a tall dark and handsome type. Super mysterious and brooding,”

 

“And you think I’m like him?” Shikamaru asked, raising his eyebrows and smirking. Naru smiled up at him.

 

“Oh for sure. You’re grumpy and smart and lazy, just like any good villain should be,” She said. Shikamaru hung his head and clutched at his chest.

 

“Ouch,” He laughed, “How could you say that?”

 

“I used my mouth to say words,” She said.

 

“Hey…” Shikamaru said, his voice suddenly more serious. Naru froze and looked around.

 

“What?” She asked, wondering if he’d picked up on something she hadn’t. He smirked and brought his hand under her chin, tilting it up.

 

“Sunshine,” He said. Naru felt her face burn and flailed her limbs. Shikamaru took a step back and laughed again, “Man, that shit is too much,” He whispered. He turned the book over in his hands again. Naru grasped the trunk of the tree behind her, unsure of why exactly her heart was trying to make its escape through her ribs. Why whenever he said the word she felt like her organs were all trying to rebel against her.

 

“Y-you’re too much! Stupid!”

 

Shikamaru laughed under his breath and walked back to the little log they’d been sitting on. He stretched his legs out and crossed his ankles, and cracked the book open. For some reason, it made her flush even darker. 

 

“Thought you didn’t wanna read it...” She said, posing the sentence like a question as she stepped quietly away from the tree and back to her place on the log beside him. He hummed.

 

“Now I wanna know what this Hideaki guy is like, if you think I’m him,” He turned the page.  _ Damn, he reads fast. _

 

“Read aloud. I don’t wanna just sit here awkwardly until you get to his introduction,” She said. He glanced up at her and smirked.

 

“What, you wanna listen to  _ me  _ say this stuff?” He teased. She elbowed him.

 

“No way! I just hate being bored, that’s all, you jackass,” 

 

Shikamaru turned back toward her, glancing up at her face as he read. “And then he bent down and-“

 

“Ah! Skip the dirty parts!” She said, turning red. Shikamaru laughed under his breath.

 

“They’re just kissing so far! This is the person who branded the famous Harem Jutsu? You can’t stand one kissing scene?”

 

Naru’s face was burning. “Shut up, Shikamaru-kun, or I’ll really show you a goddamn harem jutsu,” he lowered the book and wiggled his eyebrows at her.

 

“So do you wanna hear the story or not?

 

“Keep going…” She grumbled, “But if you read a dirty part I’m whipping that book into the fire and you’ll be the one to explain to princess how it got there,” 

 

“Okay, okay, but I’m not skipping over the kissing,” Shikamaru said. Naru groaned but nodded. Shikamaru laughed. “It’s a trashy romance novel if I skipped over the dirty parts  _ and _ the kissing there wouldn’t be anything left,” 

 

“Just read it!” She snapped, breaking off the burnt end of her stick and pushing it further between the burning logs. Shikamaru cleared his throat and settled in dramatically.

 

“He bent down and pressed his lips to hers, feeling her petal soft mouth move against his own. It grew in-“ He snorted, glancing up at Naru, who was biting her lips together, “-passion, and their tongues battled for dominance-”

 

Naru fell off the log, trying hard to muffle the sound of her laughter. Shikamaru shushed her.

 

“You’ll wake them up!” He said, grinning as she bit her hand bloody, tears of mirth streaming down her face.

 

“Their tongues? Their tongues fought? A boxing match in their mouths?” She squeaked.

 

“No, no,” Shikamaru snickered, “They battled. This is war we’re talking about here, it’s serious, many tongues died that day. Stop laughing!” 

 

Naru wiped her tears and nodded, scooting back onto the log. It continued like that for at least an hour, Shikamaru mercifully cutting short at the raunchier parts. Eventually they did get to Hideaki’s introduction.

 

“Oh! Oh shut up, stop laughing, this is it,” He said, waving for Naru to stop sobbing into her shirt. “The man walked into the room, and leaned elegantly against the doorframe. ‘Beloved…’ he whispered,- Why are they whispering? They’re across the room from one another, they all whisper so much!”

 

“Just keep going, I wanna hear!”

 

“Okay, okay… ‘Beloved…’ he whispered, ‘Who is this man?’ Hitomu flushed. ‘This is Ohta-san… A friend I knew as a girl… Ohta-san… This is my betrothed, Hideaki-sama,’” Shikamaru looked up at Naru, “So it was fiance, not brother,” He looked back down at the book, skimming the page, “Oh, this is the part where he steps into the light, one second…” He cleared his throat, “Hideaki stepped forward into the room. His long, raven hair was draped around his shoulders, and he had a thick scar running down from his cheek to his collarbone. He had sharp, narrow eyes, and a tall, slender frame. The way he moved spoke of speed, but not strength. He had a defined jaw, and an expression of displeasure on his face as he looked at Hitomu. ‘You really should behave like a lady, and not some common maid, Hitomu-san. Leave us- You think I’m like this guy?” Shikamaru snapped, looking up at Naru, who was still crying from suppressing her laughter. She nodded wordlessly, her whole frame shaking with the cackle she was holding back. She gestured him on, but he shook his head. “This guy’s a total dick, Sunshine,” Naru squirmed, as she usually did when he called her by that name, and took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

 

“Oh, Shikamaru-kun, come on! You’re not really upset! Everyone in the book is stupid. It’s a total self insert for civilian girls who like boys to fight over them,”

 

“Naru, your  _ life  _ is boys fighting over you!”

 

Naru rolled her eyes. “My life is fighting with boys, there’s a difference,”

 

“No! Boys literally fight over you constantly!”

 

Naru blinked, then burst out laughing. “Who would fight over me? There’s no one blind enough to think that’s worth doing, let alone two people,”

 

“Try four, that I know of,” Shikamaru groused, snapping the book shut and looking up at the stars. Naru sighed.

 

“You’re so full of it, Shikamaru-kun, you can’t name a single guy with a crush on me, let alone four,” She yawned and leaned against him, crossing her ankles and smiling up at him. “If I’m anyone from this dumb book, I’m Ohta, minus the purity fetish,”

 

“I feel like I’m most like Hitomu, she’s the only one who actually thinks about shit before she does it, she just wants everyone else to stop and talk to each other. And the only reason she doesn’t just leave Hideaki is that she’s afraid of what will happen to Ohta, because of the whole gangster thing,”

 

“Oh my gods, you’re the self insert girl, I’m gonna scream!” Naru giggled. He poked her in her side and she winced, still laughing as she rubbed the spot. 

 

“This book is objectively terrible, but it’s definitely good for a laugh,”

 

“Yeah, I agree with you on that…” Naru said. “I’m glad we’re friends, Shikamaru-kun…”

 

“Yeah,” he said, nodding back down at the book, “I’m… I’m glad we’re friends too,” He got to his feet, and stretched. “Do you want me to go get Ino up? she’s less likely to punch me than she is to punch you, then we can both go in at the same time,”

 

“Yeah, okay. Don’t forget to put the book away, though,” she said. He scoffed.

 

“What, you don’t wanna finish it?”

 

“We can finish it some other time,” She laughed, stretching too. 

 

“Promise?” He asked, turning to look at her as he walked backward toward the tent, smirking at her. Naru furrowed her brows, trying not to let on just how surprised she was that he was so eager to read Jiraiya’s shitty book again with her. 

 

“Yeah, sure. Promise,”

 

“Good,” He whispered, “I’ll hold you to it, now come to bed,”

 

“Get Ino up first,” She hissed, “I’ll be in as soon as she’s settled,” 

 

He nodded and ducked into the tent. A minute later, Ino stumbled out, yawning and rubbing her face.

 

“Hey,” Naru said, standing up and  dusting herself off, “You feeling good?”

 

“Yeah I’m good, go on in,” She said, flicking her hair out of her eyes and blinking. Naru reached down and tossed another log on the fire, then shot Ino a smile as she went to walk past her. Ino’s hand shot out, stopping her. Naru frowned, and looked up at her. 

 

“What?”

 

“Have some mercy on the poor kid, will you?”

 

“Who? Princess? You’re asking me to be nice to her?  _ You _ ?” Naru laughed. Ino shot her a cold look.

 

“Not her. What you’re doing is kinda fucked up, even by my standards, Naru. I’m not really one to talk, but in all seriousness- and setting all our personal shit aside-”

 

“Ino, we don’t have any personal shit, and I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Naru snapped, pushing her hand away and glaring up at her. “Keep alert. It’s getting close to the witching hour. And don’t try to give  _ me _ advice on my behaviour,”

 

Ino blinked, then narrowed her eyes. “Just trying to help, I’ll remember that for next time,”

 

“Yeah, well, good. Last thing I need is  _ you  _ giving  _ me  _ friendship advice,”

 

And Naru ducked into the tent, flopping down on her sleeping mat, which Shikamaru had yanked onto his and Choji’s side of the tent. When she laid down, he threw his arm over her, urging her to scoot a little closer. She did, and felt her eyelids grow heavy as she watched through the slit in the tent as Ino sat alone by the fire, her head in her hands. 

 

_ Shit. I shouldn’t have said that. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: So What, K.Flay
> 
> Shikamaru: I Do, Gin Wigmore
> 
> Ino: Happy Ever After, Gin Wigmore
> 
> (hey lil mama, who ya gonna poison now?  
> Hey lil papa, who you gonna run to now?)
> 
> (happy ever after wasn't you)


	122. Ino, Shut The Fuck Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ino is Sick Of It

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually love mean girl Ino

Ino was sick and tired of this mission, _ and  _ they still had two more days there and three whole days travel back. Not to mention that Queen Bitch was slowing them down so much it was starting to look like they might need to add another entire day on to their journey. _ Fuck. That. _

 

She’d been having a hard enough time not cold-cocking Princess I-Wanna-Fuck-Shikamaru, but after the previous night she was itching to throttle Naru too. Well.  _ More than usual _ . Nyoko had been complaining, whining that her feet were sore and that she wanted to take another break. They’d only been walking for forty five minutes.

 

“Why’d you wear those shoes if you knew you were going to be walking?” Naru snapped.  _ One point to shortstop. _ Nyoko glowered over her shoulder at the shorter girl.

 

“What? Was I supposed to wear something like those?” She sneered, indicating Ino’s shoes. Ino turned red and bit her tongue.

 

“Well considering Ino-san has more style than anyone I’ve ever seen,  _ and _ manages to walk for ten seconds without  _ whining _ like a  _ bitch _ , yeah, maybe you should have,” Naru snapped back. She didn’t look at Ino, but Ino stared at her.  _ Did Naru really just back me up? Does she hate this girl that much, or… is she trying to be nice? _

 

“Shika, we should take another break,” Nyoko said, turning to the squad leader. Shikamaru shook his head. 

 

“We just took a break. We’re falling behind schedule, and the longer we travel, the more danger you’re in. We have to get you to the palace as quickly as possible,” He said calmly. 

 

_ Yeah, to the palace and out of our hair. _

 

“But Shika!” Nyoko whined. She leaned into him, wrapping her arms around one of his, “My feet are so sore, can you carry me?”

 

“I’m already carrying my bag. I don’t have a lot of chakra to start with. I can’t use energy carrying more weight than I need to,” He glanced over his shoulder and looked at Naru, who was laughing into her hand. “I’ll tell you who can though,”

 

“No, Shikamaru-kun, I’m not-”

 

“Sunshine’s got it,” He said, pointing at Naru. Naru just spluttered. Nyoko turned to Naru, then looked at Shikamaru, confused.

 

“You mean… He’s stronger than you?”

 

“Everyone on this team is stronger than me,” Shikamaru said, unabashed. Nyoko’s jaw dropped.

 

“But… You’re…”

 

“A strategist,” Shikamaru said, reaching back and taking Nyoko’s bag from Naru and handing it to Choji, who was chewing on his own tongue to keep from laughing, “Sunshine’s got a chakra reserve unparalleled by anyone I’ve ever met, Choji is a hard hitter- a really, really hard hitter, and Ino’s got jutsu up her sleeve that I can’t even begin to get the hang of, and the chakra control to match,” He shrugged, “I’m just… the guy who pulls the strings from the shadows they cast,”

 

Nyoko looked around at the ninja surrounding her, then back at Shikamaru. Naru shook her head. “He’s not telling you he’s literally the smartest person alive,” She said. His mouth twitched.

 

“You’re exaggerating,”

 

“I’m not,”

 

“She’s not,” Choji said. 

 

“But, regardless, if you’re looking for a piggyback ride, you’re clinging to the wrong arm,” Shikamaru said. Ino could hear the laughter in the undertone of his voice. Naru cleared her throat. 

 

“So are you gonna quit whining, or am I actually going to have to carry you? Make up your mind quick, cause this is boring,” 

 

Nyoko shifted from foot to foot, looking like she was considering all her options. She shoved her nose into the air and huffed. “Fine. Carry me,” She said, stomping over to Naru and holding her arms out like she was expecting to be swept off her feet. Naru grimaced, and then yanked the girl off the ground and into a fireman’s lift. The princess squeaked, and started flailing, but Naru just shifted her higher onto her shoulder and started trotting down the path much faster than before.

 

“Stop fidgeting so much, princess. The kitchen knife in there is completely uncovered and could stab through my bag at any time. It’s not mission success if my bag stabs you,” Naru laughed. Nyoko froze, her arms out like tree limbs, and the other three started jogging after them, trying hard not to laugh. Ino was smiling at Naru’s back. Stupid and oblivious, maybe, but the girl really did look out for anyone she could. She could have just refused to carry the girl, and told everyone to put up with the whining. But she wasn’t doing it to make the girl happy. It would have been just as easy to carry her any other way if that was the goal. No. Naru was doing a nice thing for all of them- so they didn’t have to listen to Nyoko whine, and she didn’t have to keep walking on her wooden sandals- just in the worst way she could think of. 

 

Ino had spent a long time bullying Naru. She knew. She knew that’s what she was doing. She bullied the smaller girl. And she  _ knew _ it was wrong, but she couldn’t help it. She just wanted to make Naru mad. She didn’t really know why.

 

Ino was so busy rooting through her feelings that when they were first ambushed, it took Choji yanking her out of the way of a flying kunai to realise what was happening. Naru had handed Nyoko off to Shikamaru, and he’d pushed her back against a tree, standing protectively over her in a crouch as Naru spun on the spot, looking for where the attack came from. 

 

“We need all eyes Ino! Where you at?” Naru bellowed, squinting through tree branches and snarling.

 

“Right here!” Ino snapped, drawing her knives and backing up, looking low.  _ They’re coming from somewhere.  _

 

“Choji-chan?” Naru called. 

 

“Good!” Choji said, moving to stand back to back with her. She laughed. 

 

“I know you’re good, Shika-kun,” 

 

“They’re above you, to the left, the thickest branch,” He called back. Choji caught sight first, and used expansion to rip the branch off. Three enemy nin leapt down, framing Naru and Choji, the third landing behind Ino. She whipped around and slid back, bringing herself closer to Shikamaru and Nyoko. 

 

“It’s pretty dark in this part of the woods, Shikamaru,” Choji said, looking around. Shikamaru nodded.

 

“It’s shady, but not hard to see,”

 

“Good,” Ino said.  _ He’ll still be able to use shadow possession then, but let’s not reveal our ace before the time comes. _

 

“We don’t want to hurt anyone but the girl,” One of the ninja said. She was the one facing Choji, a stocky, average height woman carrying a sickle. “Hand her over and there won’t be any trouble,”

 

“Go the hell away and there won’t be any trouble, dumbass,” Naru snapped, “You’re literally the problem here, you dirty bounty hunter,”

 

All three ninja stiffened.  _ The mouth on that idiot! _ “We aren’t here to collect a bounty. We’re here to teach this little brat, and her father, a lesson about subjugation,”

 

“Yeah well, there’s other ways to do that,” Naru snapped back, “you can’t just run around killing kids, even asshole kids who suck, like her,”

 

“I know you’re protecting me, but, still, hey!” Nyoko snapped. Everyone turned to her. Ino snarled.

 

“Will you shut up!” She snapped. “I’d rather just fight and get this stupid thing over with. I don’t wanna be on this mission any longer than absolutely necessary!”

 

“Sounds good to me,” Naru growled, snapping her hands together and making a small army of clones. The three enemy ninja and Nyoko seemed startled as they all sprang at either the enemy in front of her or the one in front of Ino.

 

_ She’s protecting me. It’s because she knows I’m not strong at hand to hand combat.  _ Ino thought, rushing in and slashing at any exposed skin she could reach. The ninja preformed a water style jutsu that sprayed Naru’s clones and Ino with ice needles, driving Ino back and dispersing the clones. Ino glanced at Choji, who had the woman he was fighting between his hands and was slamming her against trees. 

 

Naru had her guy on the ground and in a headlock, and was slowly choking him unconscious without using any jutsu at all. She looked like she was having fun. She kept giggling as he drove his elbows into her sides. He got slower, and slower, until he fell still, out cold. Naru threw him off herself and then sprinted over to Ino, conjuring her Rasengan and smacking her enemy across the face with one, blasting him back through the woods. She turned to Ino, a bruise blooming across her cheekbone and concern in her eyes. 

 

“You good, Ino?”

 

“Yeah, I’m-”

 

“Naru! Get Choji!” Shikamaru snapped. The kunoichi was using some kind of waterstyle to suffocate Choji, and she was evading Shikamaru’s shadow as she did it. Naru sprinted forward and yanked the woman off her feet, breaking the jutsu. They rolled on the ground, and there was a moment when it seemed like Naru would finish her off too…

 

But there must have been something in the knuckles of those gloves the woman was wearing, because there was a strange, crunching thud as she landed a punch on Naru’s face, and Naru’s head thudded to the ground. Ino snapped her hands together, and took aim. She sent her mind out, and struck the woman from behind. There was a moment where she scrambled to get her bearings, and then she was staring down at Naru’s face, bloody and unconscious. She sat up and clenched her fists.  _ Yep. That’s metal in there.  _

 

She looked up at Shikamaru and Choji, who was still gasping for air. 

 

“What now?” She asked, holding her hands out to her sides. She pointed down at Naru. “She’s not carrying herself, let alone anyone else, and now I’m in this idiot’s body till we figure out what to do with her. Choji-chan,” She snapped, rounding on him, “I thought you were smashing her head into trees! This body feels like you were smashing her into trees! Why didn’t she get knocked out?”

 

“Her skull’s gotta be even thicker than Naru-chan’s,” Choji said, spitting out some water and looking up at her, “I whacked her good a couple of times. I’m not sure I can seal the deal when you leave if she’s that tough. What  _ are _ we gonna do?”

 

Shikamaru was looking at the pair of them, his mind turning over and over. He even put his hands together for a moment. Then he looked up at Choji.

 

“Feel like bowling?”

 

“Almost always,”

 

Shikamaru looked at Ino. “I’m gonna ask you to leave the body, and when I say leave the body, you have to leave that second, okay? Don’t say yes unless you think you can get out in a split second, because I can come up with a better plan if I need to,”

 

Ino nodded. 

 

“Okay, stand back in the path there, okay?”

 

Ino walked over and stood in the pathway. Choji stepped over Naru and took a deep breath. Shikamaru walked over to Naru and checked her pulse, then dragged her over next to Nyoko, who was shaking like a leaf. Shikamaru cleared his throat. 

 

“Ready, Choji?”

 

Choji nodded. “Yeah,”

 

“Go!” 

 

Choji expanded, and started rolling forward, rocketing toward Ino. She stayed as still as she could, watching Choji fly at her. He was less than a foot away when Shikamaru yelled out.

 

“Now, Ino!”

 

Ino kicked out of the body and floated out into her own. When she got up, she had a gnarly bruise on her elbow and forehead where she’d fallen. She turned and looked to Choji, who’d flattened the woman with the sickle completely. She was bleeding, unconscious on the ground, like Naru. Choji was smiling.

 

“Strike,” He said, shooting Shikamaru a smile. Shikamaru smiled back, but then ducked down to check on Naru again.

 

“They went down easy,” Ino said, frowning, “way too easy,” Shikamaru shot her a dirty look.

 

“Naru had to save your ass. Then she saved Choji. Then she got her face broken. It was obviously not that easy,”

 

He bent down to pick her up, but Ino rushed forward and did it first, cradling the small girl in her arms. She wasn’t as heavy as she looked, even with all that muscle. She looked so much smaller when she was out, like she was made larger than life by her personality. Ino looked at Shikamaru, her heart thudding. “We need you keeping watch on princess. I’ve got h-... him,” 

 

Shikamaru hesitated for a moment, then looked down at Nyoko. She was the mission. She had to be the priority. He scowled, and held out his hand. Ino could tell that Naru getting injured has cemented his hatred of the girl. She took his hand and he pulled her to her feet. He looked around at the other two. 

 

“Standard protective formation. If trouble arrives, drop Naru on Nyoko, I’ll stick to them since shadow strangle works best at close range. If that hadn’t been over so quickly I would have used it on the woman-“

 

“It’s okay Shikamaru, we know you had to keep yourself back for Nyoko. It’s-“ Choji said.

 

“It’s not fine,” Shikamaru snapped. “I didn’t think fast enough, that should have been easy, and Naru shouldn’t have gotten hurt,”

 

“You were distracted and keeping watch over the mission objective, you couldn’t have started attacking any sooner than the other two were down. You had her on the run, which might have saved Choji-chan’s life,” Ino said plainly.

 

“Ino, Naru saved Choji,” Shikamaru said plainly. Nyoko seemed to steady herself.

 

“Can we please move? These bodies are creeping me out-“

 

“Shut your mouth!” Ino growled, glaring at her. She shifted Naru in her grip and snarled. “I’m sick and tired of your goddamn attitude. Fix it or keep your mouth shut, because someone just got hurt keeping  _ you _ safe and you have the nerve to butch about the bodies left behind? I should kick your ass,”

 

Nyoko gulped, and went to hide behind Shikamaru, but he shook her off and shot her a dirty look. He looked around at the other two again. “Like I said, protective formation. Naru’ll wake up soon, he’s never out for long and he’s had worse injuries than that. The faster we get him out of here the better,”

 

_ Why are we all keeping up the charade even now? Why does it feel so… natural to act like she’s a boy? _

 

They pushed Nyoko into the middle of the group and moved on, Choji shoving her bag into her hands as they did so. He was carrying Naru’s backpack now. Nyoko wordlessly slung it over her shoulder and watched her feet while she walked. Ino shifted Naru in her grip again, glancing at her swollen cheek.  _ Why don’t squads all have healers? Most ninja barely know first aid. I wish… I wish I could fix this… _

 

Naru twitched oddly. Ino breathed a sigh of relief. That was a good sign.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ino: Dont Fucking Tell Me What To Do, Robyn
> 
> Naru: The Curse Of Curves, Cute Is What We Aim For
> 
> Shikamaru: Mate, Airways


	123. Naru, And The Rude Awakening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru wakes up in Ino's arms. Oh no.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sometimes slaps are called for, sometimes they are not.

Naru woke up in Ino’s arms. Something that she hadn’t ever thought would happen. The second Ino saw that she was awake, she dropped and stepped over her.

 

“Took you long enough,” She said, stretching her arms. Naru groaned and rolled over. She could hear Shikamaru snap at Ino, and Ino’s scathing retort, but wasn’t paying attention as she rested her forehead against the cool ground and groaned. Someone’s hand came into view overhead. Naru took it, and was yanked to her feet.

 

“You good, Naru-chan?” Choji asked, looking genuinely concerned. Naru smiled at him and nodded.

 

“Yeah, I’m fine. You took out the lady with ball bearings for knuckles, then?”

 

“It was a group effort,” Choji chuckled. Naru grinned at him.

 

“Well she kicked my ass. Rock on, you guys,” She said, falling into step with him. Choji nudged her.

 

“Woulda kicked mine too if it weren’t for you,” He said, smiling. Naru shrugged.

 

“We’ll call it even then,” She said. He rolled his eyes.

 

“Are we keeping score?”

 

“Hell yeah we are. Life’s a game and I’m playing to win!”

 

“Playing the fool more like,” Ino snapped. Shikamaru shot her a look.

 

“You weren’t acting like such an ice queen while Sunshine was unconscious,” He sneered. Ino flushed and moved to hit him, but Nyoko was in the way and made a squeaking noise. Naru looked at her.

 

“You weren’t acting so level headed when you thought he was really hurt,” Ino growled. Nyoko hung her head and looked at her feet.

 

“She’s kinda quiet? Did she sustain any serious injuries to her ego?”

 

“Maybe one or two,” Choji said with a good natured smirk, “I think Shikamaru’s reaction was probably what did it most, though Ino really was the catalyst,”

 

Naru nodded and smiled. Choji rummaged in his bag and handed her a couple of soldier pills and a granola bar. She looked down at it.

 

“Not a ration bar?” She asked. He shrugged.

 

“I have one of those too, if you want it, but I figured you might want something different, since you gave your only cake to her,”

 

“But, then you won’t have-“

 

“Naru this is _me_ we’re talking about. I didn’t just pack one extra snack,” He said, gesturing for her to eat it. She tucked the pills into her pocket and unwrapped the bar, breaking it in half and giving him one side. He smiled. “You never just take something for yourself, do you?”

 

“I spent enough years alone to know that the whole world is better when you share it,”

 

“Everything except the spotlight,” He teased, elbowing her and laughing. Naru grinned at him, striking a pose.

 

“I can’t help that I draw attention to myself,”

 

Choji laughed and popped the whole half-granola bar into his mouth. Naru took a bite out of hers. Shikamaru looked over his shoulder and shot her a crooked grin. She winked at him, and he turned back around. Choji paused, looking between them. She glanced up at him, and he cocked an eyebrow at her.

 

“What?” She asked around her mouthful of granola. He just smiled and shook his head.

 

“Nothin’, _Sunshine_ ,” He teased. Naru flushed and punched him softly in the upper arm. He just shook his head again and sighed. “This mission coulda been so cool,”

 

“Yeah, if only we didn’t have to protect anyone, or leave Konoha,” Naru said. Choji snorted.

 

“You’re right,” he laughed. “Why don’t they ever send us on S rank missions to barbeque restaurants?”

 

“Truly a mystery,” Shikamaru chimed in, “Ramen joints never seem to need investigating either,”

 

“I would investigate the _shit_ out of some ramen right now,” Naru laughed, patting her stomach. Nyoko looked up at her, confused.

 

“You eat ramen? What, you’re not on like, a maximum protein, low carb diet or something?”

 

“Why? Do I look like a masochist to you?” Naru asked. Choji snorted again. Nyoko shook her head.

 

“I just figured you’d be all about having a perfect six pack, that’s all,” She said, scathingly. Naru froze, forcing a horrified expression onto her face.

 

“Oh no! You mean my favourite food makes it so that I can’t have muscles?” She lifted her shirt and flexed, revealing her six pack, “Sorry guys, you gotta go, if it’s between you and Ichiraku, we all know who I’m gonna pick,”

 

Naru looked up as Choji pushed her shoulder. “Will you quit showing off?” She looked around, pulling her tank back down. Nyoko, Ino and Shikamaru were all side-eyeing her. She shrugged.

 

“I thought it was funny,” She said. “You guys are too uptight,”

 

Ino made a disapproving noise and looked away. Shikamaru was flushed, but said nothing, turning back to look where he was going, but Nyoko narrowed her eyes at Naru. Naru frowned at her.

 

“Come on, even if it was a bad joke, it wasn’t _that_ bad,”

 

“You don’t make sense,” Nyoko said. Naru winked at her.

 

“I’m not here to make sense, princess, I’m here to kick ass and _apparently_ have my comedic genius go _entirely_ underappreciated _,_ ”

 

Choji snorted, and Naru pointed at him.

 

“He gets it,” She raised her hand and he high-fived her. Nyoko rolled her eyes.

 

“Whatever,” She said. Ino turned and glared at Naru again.

 

“Can you take something serious for once in your life?” She snapped. Naru grinned at her.

 

“No!” She said. Ino rolled her eyes. Naru looked up at Shikamaru, who had an expression on his face like he was thinking, hard. She left him to it. _I’ve got nothing to offer to any thought process._

 

“Does this mean you can carry me again?” Nyoko asked, looking back at Naru. Naru rolled her eyes.

 

“She just woke up, give it a rest!” Ino snapped, glaring at Nyoko. But Naru just stomped forward, stooping down and picking her up, princess style this time. Ino made a noise of protest, and Shikamaru glanced at Naru with a strange look on his face. Naru rolled her eyes again.

 

“Honestly, if you aren’t careful, I’ll throw those stupid wooden shoes on the fire,” Naru groused, marching forward. Nyoko flushed.

 

“Why do you have to be such a jerk about everything?” She spat, glaring up at Naru. Naru scowled.

 

“Ask yourself that before you whine at me, princess. I only give it how I get it,” She shifted Nyoko higher in her grip, making the girl blanch and gasp, fearful she was being dropped. Naru snickered.

 

**_Smack._ **

 

Everyone froze, expecting Naru to drop her, but Naru just acted as though nothing had happened. She tasted blood, and there was ringing in her ears. Nyoko had really hit her with all her strength. There was a deafening silence. Nyoko’s chest was heaving. There was more tension at that moment than Naru had felt since she had chased Sasuke.

 

“You ungrateful-“ Ino started. Naru shook her head. The tension broke. Naru turned to the side and spat the blood out of her mouth, then turned to Nyoko.

 

“Would you like to walk?”

 

Nyoko looked furious, but said nothing. Naru cleared her throat.

 

“I said-“

 

“I heard what you said!” Nyoko spat, shaking with anger. Naru swallowed.

 

“Standard procedure is to respond when someone asks you a question. Maybe they don’t teach that to you in the palace, but _I_ managed to learn it and _I_ grew up in an empty fucking apartment,”

 

Nyoko glared up at her. “If your parents abandoned you, it’s probably because you’re  an asshole,”

 

“Whereas your parents ignore you entirely because you’re a one dimensional bimbo, but, who am I to say anything? Just the person holding you _and_ all the shit you packed for a three day trip home,” Naru said, “Now, do you want to walk, or do you want a lift?”

 

Nyoko looked down at her feet, and for the first time, Naru did too. Blood was leaking out around the straps of her sandals. Some guilt jumped in Naru’s chest, but she kept her face straight and shook her head.

 

“Whatever. Just… behave yourself, will you?”

 

“Whatever,” Nyoko snapped, crossing her arms and looking away.

 

Everyone was dead silent as Naru continued on, carrying her down the path. One step, two, then the other three started moving again. It was still pretty tense, but it didn’t take Naru long before she was back to her usual optimistic mood. Every step brought her closer to the end of this damn mission, and then she had three days back to just hang out with Shikamaru and Choji. And even Ino, who, when Naru was confronted with Nyoko, seemed less and less intolerable. Life was good.

 

Naru smiled. She let out a laugh. All four of the others stared at her. She beamed at all of them.

 

“Come on, guys! Think about it! I guess you could say I got _bitch-slapped?_ ”

 

“Not good,” Choji groaned. Shikamaru ran his hand over his face. Ino just closed her eyes, like she was praying for patience. Nyoko turned red again.

 

“How dare-”

 

“Come on! It’s funny!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Sororicide, Raffaella
> 
> Ino: Misery Business, Paramore
> 
> Nyoko: Middle Finger, Pheobe Ryan & Quinn XCII
> 
> I wanna make it clear that i hate girl hate as a plot device but we're doing our best


	124. Ino, Stay The Fuck Still

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ino sees Naru do something nice and doesn’t understand. Then she kinda does something nice too. Kinda.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bi monthly reminder: I’m soft be nice 2 me
> 
> (Haha, geddit? Bi monthly? More like Bi every day of My Life)

They had just set up for a break. Shikamaru and Choji has taken off on patrol. Naru had set Nyoko down gently on a blanket. Ino frowned at them. Naru was saying something to Nyoko very quietly, gesturing at her feet. Nyoko wrinkled her nose and shook her head. Naru rolled her eyes and reached down, sliding off Nyoko’s wooden sandals with a gentleness that Ino didn’t know that Naru had in her. Nyoko winced as she did it. Her skin was completely raw where the straps had been sitting. 

 

_ Whose shoes are hideous now?  _ Ino thought bitterly. 

 

Naru leaned forward, pulling a roll of bandages out of her pouch and wrapping each of Nyoko’s feet thickly in them. Nyoko winced, and tears ran down her face as Naru did it. Once her feet were fully wrapped, Ino expected Naru to get up and leave Nyoko to cry, but instead, Naru flopped onto her haunches and pulled off her shinobi sandals. She held them up and wiggled her eyebrows. Nyoko flushed, and looked away, but Naru said something else quiet, and Nyoko shrugged. Naru leant forward and pulled her own shoes onto Nyoko’s feet. Once she was done, she smiled brightly at Nyoko, who tucked her hair behind her ears and frowned at the sandals. Naru laughed audibly. 

 

“It’s okay, princess, no one will be looking at what you’re wearing, I’ll be barefoot and in neon orange trousers,” Naru ran her fingers through her hair, “No one’ll even look atcha,” 

 

“Whatever,” Nyoko snapped, tucking her feet under herself. Naru stood up and stretched, padding barefoot past Ino, who held out her hand to stop her, like she’d done the previous night. Naru looked up at her, perplexed.

 

“Why’d you do that?”

 

“She was hurt. Just cleaned her up, that’s all,”

 

“You gave her your sandals,”

 

Naru paused, and looked up at Ino. “I’d do the same for anyone,” 

 

“I didn’t ask who you’d do it for, I asked why,” Ino asked. “She’s been nothing but awful since you met her. You obviously can’t stand her. But she’s sitting ungrateful in your sandals and you’re standing barefoot like an idiot. I don’t get it,”

 

“I’m not here to make sense, Ino-san, I’m here to fight. I’m here to keep you all safe-“

 

“You’re here to keep her safe,” Ino corrected. Naru offered her a crooked smile.

 

“I’m here to keep you safe too, Ino-san. I’m here to keep everyone safe. If I can save someone, I’ll save them. Every single time,”

 

“I can look after myself,”

 

“Didn’t say you couldn’t, just that if you need backup, I’m here. I’d do it for anyone,”

 

Ino frowned, but lowered her hand. Naru padded past her a few feet, but then froze, and fast as lightning, sprinted back and pushed Nyoko to the ground. It was like a scene from a horror film. A sickle was buried in Naru’s back, and she was braced, trembling, over Nyoko, who was frozen in fear and shock. Naru cried out in pain. She looked up at Nyoko.

 

“You… Okay, Princess?” She bit out, limbs trembling.

 

“Naru, For the gods sakes, don’t move! It’s too close to your spine!” Ino called. She rushed forward and stood over the other two girls. “Don’t move an inch, don’t you dare…”

 

“Ino…” Naru said, shaking, “Pull it out. She’s coming. We don’t have time-“

 

“I’m not Hinata! I can’t do something that delicate-“

 

“You can’t leave it in! I have to fight!”

 

“No!” Ino yelled, “You don’t!” She whipped a paper bomb straight up and it went off in the air, over tree cover.  _ Come on guys, come back _ . The water style users, from before, appeared either side of Ino, she blocked the man’s attack, and deflected the woman’s away from the group. Ino kicked out, breaking the man’s leg, and lodged a kunai in his temple. 

 

“No third member?” Ino sneered as the shinobi collapsed at her side. The woman fell back slightly, sizing Ino up again.

 

“Your little blond friend made sure of that. It’s why I took him out first,”

 

“Ino…” Naru growled, “I am telling you, please, take this thing out. I’m going to be fine, I just need you to- Agh!” Ino reached behind herself and extracted the scythe from her back as carefully as she could, then spun it, stepping back onto Naru’s hip, keeping her braced there over Nyoko.

 

“Stay down Sunshine. The guys will be here any second. We’ll be more than a match for her,”

 

“Let me up Ino…” Naru growled, “You can’t stay on me and fight well,” 

 

“You’re right, but you just stick to Nyoko like glue. Don’t get involved,”

 

“I’ll take her and the princess out as soon as I’m done with you, little samurai,” The woman spat at Ino. Ino twirled the scythe again and struck a defensive pose.

 

“Good to know she’s safe then, I can rest easy. I’ll put you in your grave, loser,” She rushed forward, and the woman conjured massive icicles from her hands, blocking her downswing and smirking in her face. 

 

“Don’t try to fight with a weapon you aren’t familiar with, brat,” She snapped. Ino ripped downward, shattering the ice and almost eviscerating the kunoichi. 

 

“Don’t assume I don’t know my way around a staff. I’ve been training my whole life. I’ve picked one up once or twice,” She said, twirling it again, deflecting the ice needle spray the woman sent at her.  _ Same move as the guy before. The whole squad are one trick ponies. _

 

They kept on like that for at least two minutes. Ino was starting to get worried the boys hadn’t gotten her signal when Shikamaru’s shadow started sneaking down the tree behind the Kunoichi. Ino grit her teeth and started fighting harder, pushing her back, toward the trap Shikamaru had laid. Naru shifted behind her, and she yelled over her shoulder at the shorter girl.

 

“Stay put! Don’t you dare move an inch, Naruto Uzumaki, I swear to the gods if you so much as twitch I’ll break your legs!” Ino turned back to the enemy and kicked her straight into the shadow waiting for her. It sprouted up around her, and Shikamaru dropped down from the branch behind her. Choji leapt out with him, and sprinted to Naru’s side, gently lifting her away from Nyoko, who was wide eyed and shaking. Naru was protesting, trying to move, but Choji forced her to lay still. Ino glared straight ahead as the enemy kunoichi struggled against Shikamaru’s hold. Shikamaru looked furious. His hands were steady as the shadows began to slowly crush inward on the woman. 

 

“Injuries?” He asked Ino. Ino looked straight into his face, measuring the depth of the anger in his eyes. None of it was for her, she knew.

 

“Naru took a hit to the back,” She said, “Looked close to the spine. Her legs…” Ino glanced over her shoulder at Naru, who was kicking and yelling to be let back up, “seem fine for now, but you know spinal injuries,” 

 

The shadows tightened, and Ino heard the distinct crack of bones breaking under pressure. “And you?” Shikamaru asked, his voice level.

 

“A scratch or two,” Ino shrugged, “nothing major,”

 

**_Crunch_ ** _. _ The kunoichi’s body fell to the ground, it’s owner no longer in it. Shikamaru looked at it, the grabbed it by the arm. 

 

“Set up camp, we aren’t moving Naru. One of us will have to stay here while the other two complete the mission,” He began dragging the body away, “We’ll request a stretcher at the palace, and meet back at this point,”

 

“Where are you taking that?” Ino asked. Shikamaru rolled his eyes. 

 

“I’m not leaving it here to rot if Naru’s gonna be staying here for two days. I’m taking it  _ away _ to rot,”

 

“Okay. I’m gonna go staple her to the forest floor so she doesn’t keep hurting herself,” Ino said. Shikamaru nodded and kept going as Ino turned back to where Naru was laying, trying to sit up, fighting against Choji’s grip. 

 

Ino kneeled down next to her. She grabbed her hips and looked at Choji. “On three, turn her toward me,”

 

“I can roll over myself, you jerks!” Naru snapped. 

 

“Shut up! Spinal injuries can worsen with movement!” Ino snapped, “Stay still!” 

 

“My injuries worsen when people don’t leave me the hell alone!” She growled as Ino counted down and rolled her over. She grabbed water and flushed the wound, rinsing out the debris that had weaselled its way into it. It was deep, but not as close to the spine as Ino had originally thought. It had definitely shattered a couple ribs, however. 

 

Naru hissed as Ino wrapped her finger in gauze and cleaned the wound. “That fucking hurts, Ino! Get off!”

 

“Do you want an infection? Because this is through bone, Naru, and bone infections can kill you,” She snapped. Choji pressed Naru’s shoulders down, forcing her still as Ino disinfected the wound and started dressing it. Ino watched as Naru stopped struggling and looked up at Nyoko.

 

“Stop crying. You’re not the one who got stabbed. I got stabbed specifically so that you wouldn’t cry. Don’t- OUCH! Ino! Not so tight! Don’t cry princess, you’re fine,”

 

“Why’d you do that?” Nyoko asked, wiping tears away with shaking hands. Naru frowned, But Ino answered.

 

“Because it’s his job,” She snapped, thing the bandage off, “and cause he’s just… like that,”

 

Naru pointed at her, and gave an exhausted, half hearted laugh. “She gets it,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Twisted Nerve, be your own PET
> 
> Ino: Come And Get It, The Dollyrots
> 
> Shikamaru: NFWMB, Hozier (Its such a good song guys... it’s just so good... it’s still my Neji/Naru Anthem but it works for him here too)


	125. Naru, Don’t Be Broken Hearted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru wakes up after a bad injury. A-fucking-gain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d like to formally apologise for how often I stab Naruto Uzumaki. I’m not actually sorry, im just told that people should apologise.

Naru woke up in the tent, the sun was setting, and a ration bar and a bag of chips were next to her head. She grabbed the ration bar and bit into it, getting up and ducking out of the tent. The other four teenagers were gathered around the fire in awkward silence, Choji was resting his hand on Shikamaru’s shoulder. Naru looked down at herself. Her torso, mainly her ribs, were wrapped in bandages, over a wound in her back that had been reduced to a sore muscle by Kurama. She crinkled the wrapper of the ration bar and took another bite.

 

All four of her companions jumped and turned to face her. She pushed the mouthful into her cheek. “You guys tellin ghost stories?”

 

“Gods on high, you’re the fucking ghost story. How the hell are you up? You took a scythe to the back! You need to rest!” Choji said, his eyebrows almost disappearing behind his headband. 

 

“I need another one of these lil fuckers, that’s what I need,” Naru said, waving the ration bar and striding to sit next to Shikamaru. Ino looked furious.

 

“What the hell! No! Go lay back down you freak!” She snapped. Naru swallowed and rolled her eyes. 

 

“I’m ignoring all orders to go back to sleep. But Ino…” Naru hesitated for a second, then pressed on, “I wanted to say… next time, yank the damn thing out when I first ask you to, and… well… you were really badass back there. Uh… I’m…” She struggled for a moment as all three members of team Asuma stared at her in blatant shock, “I’m glad that you were there,” 

 

“Are you having an aneurysm?” Choji asked, reaching past Shikamaru and patting her back. She nodded.

 

“I feel like I might be,” She said, looking up at Ino. It may have just been the light, but it almost looked like she was blushing a little. She looked away.

 

“Well someone had to cover your stupid ass. Don’t make me do it again,”

 

“Naru,” Shikamaru said, his voice calm, and level. She stared at him. He was looking straight into the fire. “You’re not moving from this site. Choji and I are going to finish the mission without you and Ino. We’ll come and collect you on our way back,”

 

Naru’s heart almost stopped in her chest. She stared, bewildered at Shikamaru. “But I didn’t do anything wrong, Shika!” She said, shaking her head, “I stopped her from getting hurt! She’s fine!”

 

He turned and frowned at her. “But you aren’t!”

 

Naru blinked, and furrowed her brow. “I don’t understand,”

 

Shikamaru smoothed his hands over his ponytail and stood up. He looked distraught. Ino and Choji seemed frozen in concern. Shikamaru turned his back on the fire and walked away a little bit, then turned on his heels and pointed at her. “What’s it gonna take for you to stop doing this? Do you want my headband? My rank? My name? What can I do so that you stop getting yourself hurt like this?”

 

“Shika-kun, I’m a ninja, I get hurt-“

 

“No! Being a ninja isn’t an excuse!” He said, his voice breaking. Ino stood up and grabbed Nyoko’s arm. Choji leapt to his feet. They all walked away as quickly and quietly as they could. Shikamaru took a deep breath, as though to steady himself, and looked back at Naru. There were tears in his eyes as he met hers. “I’m sorry, I know… I know I’m being selfish, I know I’m being needy… I know I’m wrong here,” He stepped forward and dropped to his knees in front of Naru, cupping her face in his hands, “But I can’t keep seeing you get hurt! It’s tearing me to shreds, watching you destroy yourself. It was hard enough seeing you with  _ him _ , watching him push you around… And now he’s gone and I thought you’d be  _ safe _ , but now you’re throwing yourself on blades and going off on missions with people who aren’t looking after you and  _ I’m _ not looking after you- I can’t see you like this… I can’t see you tear yourself apart in the wake of him leaving you. I can’t see you do this to yourself- Please, please, I’m begging you as your  _ friend _ to stop this, to please  _ look after yourself _ , because you’re so important to me… you matter to me so much that every single day you are gone- for the next however many  _ years _ you are gone- is going to be  _ agony _ for me, but I still want you to go, because I know you want to, because I know you need to do this, and I know you need to get  _ him _ back, but… I just… want you to be safe, in Konoha… with… with  _ me _ ,”

 

“Sh-Shikamaru-kun-“

 

“Sunshine… I’m…” He brought his thumbs up and wiped the tears from under her eyes, and she grasped his wrists in her hands, feeling his pulse under her fingers. “I’m so sorry I can’t be the friend you need, I can’t just leave you to your own devices and watch you destroy yourself, I’m a bastard, I know it, but I just have to be selfish with you. I have to beg you… please…”

 

“Shikamaru-kun!” She said, her voice shaking, but clear, her heart trying to find its way out of her chest, her lungs filled with lead, “You can’t ask me to stop being a ninja for you! If the mission is to keep someone safe then I  _ will  _ die to keep that person safe. I  _ will _ die to keep my teammates safe and I  _ will _ die a hundred times for you. A thousand times for you, Shikamaru,” 

 

“Can’t you just try really, really hard not to die at all?” 

 

Naru laughed, that watery, half laugh of a person who had more tears waiting in the wing. “I guess I could… try to get stabbed… a little less,” 

 

She gasped a little as his hands fell away and he hugged her, in a rush, a moment of cold and then a feeling that she hadn’t felt before. A strange feeling. A warm feeling. She felt  _ safe _ . 

 

It was either a full minute, or a few seconds before Shikamaru slid back. Naru couldn’t tell. He wiped his eyes and sighed. They were puffy and red rimmed. Naru felt the urge to hug him again when she saw it. But a muscle in his jaw twitched, and he looked up at her seriously.

 

“I want you to stay here, please,” He said. She bit her top lip.  _ No way! No way. I’m seeing this through to the end.  _

 

“Shika-kun, I’m finishing this mission. I’m fine,”

 

“Ino pulled a scythe out of your back a few hours ago, you aren’t fine,”

 

Naru hesitated. She stood, and Shikamaru scooted back, looking up at her. She pulled up her ripped and bloody tank top and began unraveling her bandages. Shikamaru started, reaching out to stop her, but she ignored him. They fell around her feet, and she turned, revealing the silver, fully healed scar on her back. “Shikamaru-kun, I have to tell you a secret, but… you have to promise not to hate me,”

 

Shikamaru stared, speechless at the scar. He blinked. She pulled her tank top down over her hips and sat back down, bringing her legs up to her chest and frowning.

 

“Please, Shikamaru-kun I need to hear you say it,”

 

“Sunshine, I could  _ never _ hate you,”

 

“I’ll put that to the test, Shika-kun. I can’t tell you everything. Not now. But there’s a curse on me-“

 

**_A BLESSING._ **

 

_ Be quiet. _

 

“A curse on me… As a result when I get an injury, a minor injury, I heal in.. in less than a minute,” She held out her hand and pulled out a kunai, moving to bring it to her skin. Shikamaru’s hand shot out to stop her.

 

“I don’t need a demonstration. I noticed that before. Thought it was a fluke, though,”

 

Naru stabbed the knife into the log beside her. “And major injuries… they heal in hours,”

 

“So what was the injury you came back with after you fought Sasuke?”

 

Naru’s hand flew to the back of her neck, her fingers tracing the scar there, ice descending into her stomach. Shikamaru watched this, and she knew he’d seen her hand. 

 

“Because I doubt it was fresh when you were found, let alone by the time you came back. I’d already knew you healed faster than most people but I thought it was just chance. Figured it was an accident or a clan trait or maybe even a jutsu, what, with your chakra reserves. But I knew. It doesn’t change much about how I feel in regards to you continuing this mission but, let’s be honest, no one on this earth can actually tell you what to do,” Shikamaru edged a little closer again, hesitating, waiting for her to force him back. She didn’t. She let her friend draw in close, “But the first time I saw you hurt without seeing you  _ get hurt _ … It was when that idiot fought you. It was there on the back of your neck,”

 

Naru yanked the knife out of the wood beside her and pushed it back into her weapons pouch, smoothing her hand over it and swallowing. Shikamaru’s eyes darkened. Naru shook her head.

 

“I did worse to him,”

 

“Is he dead?”

 

“No,”

 

“Then it’s more than what he deserves,”

 

“Shikamaru! That’s not okay!”

 

“It’s true!” He said, beginning to look a little wild again. It wasn’t… it wasn’t threatening, like she’d associated being out of control with before, just… just worrying. “I can guess what he did and on the gods I hope I’m wrong because if I’m right I’d have to… I’d-“

 

“Let me take care of it,” Naru said, resting her hand on his shoulder. He settled a little, and covered her hand with his, resting his cheek against her wrist. He closed his eyes.

 

“Sunshine, don’t settle,” He said. She frowned, and tilted her head. He looked up at her. “Don’t take anything in this world that’s less than you deserve. Not a person, not a lot in life- this world needs you, it’s broken and messed up and the older I get the more I see the evil in everything, and I’m barely thirteen so if that trend fuckin decides to continue…” He sighed, straightening up and urging her to her feet. She looked up at him, a little surprised, but obliged, “but… there’s none of it in you. Don’t settle,”

 

“I… I won’t Shika-kun,” She said. He let his lips twitch into a little smile.

 

“Thanks,” He took a big, shaky breath and looked around. The other three were still gone. Naru swallowed.

 

“Do we have more spare ration bars? I’m starved,”

 

“Yeah, but you need some water too. Here,” He shuffled over to his bag and passed her a skein of water and another ration bar. She took them and sat back down next to the fire. He sat next to her. There was something else unsaid hanging in the air, but she didn’t press it. She wanted Shikamaru to be happy, and if he didn’t want to say whatever was on his mind, she wouldn’t make him.

 

They stayed like that for a while, next to each other and quiet. Then Shikamaru turned to her and frowned. “When’s your birthday?”

 

“It’s October Tenth. Why?”

 

Something flashed in Shikamaru’s eyes. Something terrifyingly close to complete understanding. There was a moment when Naru felt very, very nervous. But then he shrugged. 

 

“I’m gonna owe you birthday presents when you get back. Just wanted to know their due date, that’s all,”

 

“Oh…” Naru looked down at her feet, feeling the lie in the air, not wanting to call him on it, “You don’t have to do that,”

 

Shikamaru nudged her. “But I’m gonna. I’ll get you this year’s before you go though, since we’re barely cutting it short,”

 

Naru laughed. “I want ramen for my birthday,”

 

“Most people get cake…”

 

“I want both!”

 

“Okay, I’ll get you both,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Hate To See Your Heart Break, Paramore
> 
> Shikamaru: Here It Goes Again, Ok Go


	126. Shikamaru, And The Show Off

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shikamaru wakes up to (de)construction noises

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sorry but i can't help myself

No one got up as early as Naruto Uzumaki. She got up at the fucking ass crack of dawn for no reason other than her triceps. Why was Shikamaru in love with this girl? Why was this his life? He had clambered out of the tent groggily when he’d heard a crack and a thud, only to find that Naru was systematically trying to disassemble a tree like it was a fucking puzzle. He watched as she clambered up it, put her hands on a thick branch, planted her bare feet on either side of it and began pulling and wiggling it like a loose baby tooth. The groan and crack of the poor tree was cataclysmic in the still, early morning air. She grinned down at him. 

 

“What the  _ fuck  _ are you doing?” He groused, squinting up at her. She let out her usual too-loud laugh.

 

“It’s Back, Shoulders and Tri’s today Shika-kun!” She said, seizing the branch and heaving it in one direction with one hand, and then the other. It splintered off completely, and she bent backward holding it, hurling it to the ground and curling herself back up to the trunk, then clambering up to the next branch and beginning the process again. Shikamaru groaned.

 

“Can’t you just leave the poor trees alone and do some pushups or something? What did the local flora ever do to you?”

 

“Trees aren’t flowers, Shika-kun!” Naru laughed, but she leapt down all the same and bound toward him. 

 

“No... flora is just a term for plant life in general, Sunshine,” Shikamaru said. She grinned up at him. She was sweaty, her hair plastered to her forehead. She pushed it back. “Where’s your headband?”

 

“Oh, I left it in the tent. I wasn’t doing anything serious, just the tree branches,”

 

“Oh, yeah,” came a sharp voice from the mouth of the tent, “Just ripping the branches off some trees at whatever the fuck in the morning. Only breaking nature,”

 

“Ino-chan!”

 

“Will you quit it with all that cutesy  _ Ino-chan _ stuff?” Ino growled, straightening up and rubbing her neck. Naru pouted at her.

 

“Ino-chan!” She whined, “I thought we were friends now! I said thank you!”

 

“I didn’t ask you to. And I only saved you because I’m supposed to. Not letting you die doesn’t make us friends. It makes us… like… coworkers, at most,”

 

Naru shuffled toward Ino, narrowing her eyes a little and smiling. “Ino-chan,” She said, her smile getting a little wider as Ino crossed her arms and pointedly ignored her. “ _ Ino-chan,”  _

 

“What?” Ino snapped, looking aggravated. Naru grinned.

 

“You’re my  _ friend now,”  _

 

Ino groaned and Naru shuffled a little closer. 

 

“We’re  _ friends  _ Ino-chan,” Naru whispered. Ino rubbed her face and looked at Shikamaru, resigned. 

 

“Why do like this?” She groaned at him, Naru shuffled even closer. They were almost touching.

 

“Ino-chan I’m gonna hug you,” She said, holding her arms out wide and inching them in slowly, giving her time to escape. But Ino  _ didn’t  _ try to escape. She just let Naru slowly hug her. As soon as she was closed in, she groaned and hung her head. Naru laughed. Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

 

“Ino you had  _ so much time  _ to say no to that. You’re just acting at this point,”

 

“Shut up, Shikamaru,” She snapped and Naru lifted her of the ground and rocked her back and forth. Her face was redder than he’d ever seen it. Something clicked in his head.  _ Oh… that… that makes sense. _

 

He bit his tongue and smiled as Naru set Ino down gently and stepped slowly away, guard up in case Ino decided to swing on her. She didn’t. Naru beamed. 

 

“Hug…  _ complete _ ,” She said. Ino groaned. Shikamaru snorted. Naru winked at him. “Let’s eat breakfast, then we’ll set out, since most of us are up,”

 

“What there aren’t more trees that need to become amputees?” Shikamaru asked, crossing his arms. Naru laughed.

 

“Plenty, but-“

 

“I know, I  _ know _ I just heard the word breakfast,” Choji groaned, Stretching as he staggered out of the tent. Naru bounced up and down. 

 

“Choji-chan! Hey! You mostly do body weight, right?” she asked. Choji paused, looking confused. 

 

“She’s talking about working out,” Shikamaru explained. Choji nodded and smiled.

 

“Yeah, mostly. makes stuff easier if you don’t mess around with weights,”

 

“Oh. Cool. Do you do push-ups?”

 

“Yeah, tons,” Choji said. Naru smiled. 

 

“Wanna go head to head?”

 

“Naru you weigh nothing,”

 

“We can get one of these guys to sit on my shoulders,” She looked at Shikamaru. He shook his head. 

 

“No way. Trying to keep my balance while you try to out-muscle each other is way too much trouble,” He said. Naru pouted, and he almost caved right there, but then she turned to Ino.

 

“Ino-chan after breakfast will you sit on my back while I do push-ups against Choji-chan?” She pleaded. Ino frowned, but before she could respond,  _ another  _ voice sounded from the tent’s entrance.

 

“I’ll do it,” Nyoko said, taking her hair down from the braid she slept in. Naru looked at her, blinking in surprise, then cocked an eyebrow.

 

“Oh okay. Well let’s all eat something then we’ll try it,” Naru said, shrugging.

 

She pulled her bag out and passed around some ration bars. They sat on the logs around the dying campfire and ate them, Choji and Naru talking shit to each other about who’d collapse first. Shikamaru kept his eyes on Nyoko, who was squinting at Naru, like she was putting a puzzle together.  _ Is she figuring it out? It's obvious, isn’t it? Is it obvious she’s a girl? Does it matter? It obviously doesn’t, being referred to as a guy is as natural as being referred to as a girl for her. It changes nothing to me. But maybe Nyoko’s putting two and two together. Have we slipped up? No, we haven’t. We haven’t let anything on. _

 

Naru finished her bar first and stood up, stretching and grinning. “Man, nothing like an early morning workout, right?”

 

“Nothing like kicking your ass at an early morning workout, more like,” Choji said, finishing his third bar and cracking his knuckles. “Let’s do this!” 

 

Ino stood and walked over to the tent. “I’m going to pack up while you guys flood the joint with testosterone,” 

 

Both Naru and Choji got on the ground and into position. and Naru patted her shoulders with one arm, the other holding her up. 

 

“Hop on, princess. We gotta smoke this guy,” 

 

Nyoko stepped forward and sat precariously on Naru’s shoulders, facing her feet. She carefully crossed her legs. Naru shifted a little, and Nyoko squeaked and set her hands down on Naru’s shoulders to steady herself. Naru laughed. 

 

“Haven’t even started yet. Sure you don’t wanna tag Ino in?” 

 

“I’m not sitting on your back so that you can show off,” Ino snapped from where she was rolling up the tent. Naru laughed.

 

“Then I guess it’s too late to back out! Let’s go!” 

 

And they started. Shikamaru crossed his legs and leaned his chin on his hand as each of his two best friends try to outdo the other. Naru even reached out mid push-up to try to tickle Choji. He laughed and shifted away. 

 

“You’re a dirty cheater, Naruto Uzumaki!” He laughed, dropping into another push-up. Naru finished hers with one hand then switched to her other. 

 

“What? Me? I’m just throwing a couple single arms in the mix. Nyoko’s not heavy enough, I gotta keep it fair,”

 

“Hey! I’m not- oh,” Nyoko said, flushing. Naru laughed.

 

“It’s not a compliment in this case. Muscle weighs more than fat, anyway. You’re just bird boned. Shika-kun woulda been the closest thing to fair we have, but since he’s decided to be Grumpy today,”

 

“I’m right here!” He said, smiling as Naru sped up her pace. 

 

“Yeah, you’re here, you’re grumpy, and you’re well fit. You really undermined Choji-chan. Cruel of you, really,”

 

Ino looked up from the tent. “If you can talk this much you’re not working hard enough,” She said, “Go harder,”

 

“My point is that I can’t, Princess isn’t heavy enough!” Naru laughed. She gasped, and for a moment they all tensed, envisioning broken ribs punching holes in lungs and internal bleeding. But then Naru started yelling excitedly. “Ino-chan! Get on my back too! I bet I can keep going with both of you!”

 

“Naru you got  _ stabbed  _ yesterday,”

 

“Stabbed Schmabbed! Hop on! I’ll thrash Choji-chan with half the team on my back!” 

 

“You’re gonna hurt yourself!” Choji said. But he didn’t stop his push-ups. Ino sighed.

 

“I’ll do it if you stop calling me Ino-chan,”

 

“Deal!” Naru said. Ino trudged over and gestured for Nyoko to scoot down. Naru wasn’t a large person, so Nyoko wound up sitting at the very base of her spine, and Ino was facing away from her, back to back with Nyoko. Ino scowled as Naru continued her pushups at the same pace that she had before. Choji put more vigor into his own.

 

It was probably ten minutes before they started to slow down. Sweat was dripping into the dirt below both of them. Choji was grunting with the effort of it, but Naru seemed beyond that. She started to slow down, and Ino pulled Naru’s headband out of her pouch.

 

“If you lose after  _ dragging _ me into this I’m gonna kick your ass,” She snapped, tying it around her head. Naru let out a breathy, strained laugh, but sped up a little. One more, two more, four more, seven… Choji stuttered, he shook, and then he dropped. Naru dropped immediately after. Ino sighed.

 

“All that and it’s a tie?” she said, standing up. Nyoko stepped off too, and Shikamaru noticed she was wearing Naru’s sandals before her Kimono fell over them. 

 

“No,” He said, shaking himself a little and standing up, “Naru did 543 push-ups, and Choji did 521. Naru was moving a lot faster, and if you do the math, with the added weight-“

 

“Please don’t do the fucking math,” Ino groaned, “for the sake of my sanity,”

 

“Shikamaru, how could you?” Choji groaned. Naru laughed. 

 

“He’s just telling the truth! I thrashed you!” She rolled over, dirt sticking to her sweaty skin. She spread her arms out wide. “I am the champion!”

 

“Don’t rub it in, it’s in poor taste,” Ino snapped. Naru snickered. 

 

“I’m just saying,” Shikamaru strode over and offered Choji a hand, pulling him to his feet, then he bent and helped Naru. She got to her feet unsteadily, and almost winced at the pressure on her sore muscles. He smirked down at her.

 

“You probably shouldn’t have done that, you show off,”

 

She squeezed one eye shut and smiled up at him. “What? Show off? Me? I’ve never done such a thing, how dare,”

 

“Oh, will you stop,” He laughed, flicking her temple. Naru laughed.

 

“Are you two related?” Nyoko asked. Naru looked over at her, confused. 

 

“No, why?”

 

“You just seem close,” Nyoko said, pulling her hair forward and running her fingers through it. Naru blinked.

 

“Friends tend to,” She said, “the trick is to bother people until they accept your presence,”

 

“That literally only works for you, Sunshine,” Shikamaru laughed. Naru looked back at him.

 

“What? How do most people do it?” She said, her face reddening at the nickname.

 

“I don’t know, I never bothered,” Shikamaru said, “But I know it’s not the way you do it,”

 

“I’m gonna stick to bothering people,” Naru said. Shikamaru tried not to laugh.

 

“I think that’s a good idea,” He said. He looked down at Naru’s still bare feet. “Do you… have another pair of shoes to wear?” 

 

Naru shook her head and smiled. “Nope! Let’s go!” She said, walking over and struggling into her backpack with her limp arms. Choji did the same. Shikamaru frowned.

 

“You need  _ something _ on your feet,” he said as Ino picked up her own pack and Nyoko’s. Nyoko fidgeted uncomfortably. 

 

“I got skin on em. That’s enough, Grumpy, don’t worry!” She waddled back over to him and planted her hand flat against his face. “You really fuss a lot,”

 

“Yeah, well, someone’s got to!” he grumbled, grabbing her wrist and pulling it down away from his face. He sighed. “Okay, I guess let’s get going,” he said. Naru rolled her eyes and he watched her pad over a few steps, onto a twig, and he winced and rushed forward.

 

“No actually, you need to wrap your feet in bandages. I’ll do it for you, sit down,” He said, picking her up and walking her over to the nearest log. He could hear Choji’s muffled laughter as he rummaged in his bag for bandages.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger, Daft Punk
> 
> Shikamaru: Turntable Turnabout, Mystery Skulls
> 
> Ino: Dirty Dancer, Oh My! (Alvin Risk Remix)
> 
> Choji: Friday Night Gurus, Studio Killers
> 
> Nyoko: Freaking Out, Mystery Skulls
> 
> (I'm bumping today folks)


	127. Naru, And The Name Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru eats some potato chips instead of mixing them into cement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was weirdly hard to write???

Naru was padding along on her bandaged feet, she and Choji were throwing chips to each other to catch in their mouths. Choji was much better at it, and was making up for that morning’s loss by gloating aggressively whenever Naru couldn’t get to a chip in time. Nyoko was watching, a subdued look on her face, Ino was pointedly ignoring them and Shikamaru was trying hard not to get lost. They’d left the woods behind, they were replaced with rice paddies that meant it was about a half day’s travel from Nyoko’s home. Naru could feel the thrum of excitement. It was going much faster now that Nyoko had on some sensible shoes. 

 

“Okay, that’s the third one you’ve missed, I win!” Choji laughed as Naru missed a chip that he’d thrown well over her head. Naru laughed.

 

“It’s a good thing you don’t rely on shuriken, Choji-chan, your aim is terrible,” Naru laughed, tossing one straight in the air. Choji ducked and caught it. He looked overly proud of himself.

 

“You’re just bitter. It’s okay, Naru-chan, we’re one for one,”

 

“Guess it was a tie after all, huh Ino-chan?” Naru called, grinning. Ino turned toward Naru specifically so that she could roll her eyes at her. Naru winked and Ino whipped back around to face forward. Nyoko pointed at Naru.

 

“Why do you flirt with everyone so much?”

 

Naru stared at her, dumbstruck. “I don’t think I’ve ever flirted in my life…”

 

“Okay that is possibly the biggest lie I’ve ever heard, and we’re  _ ninja _ ,” Ino snapped, her face bright red, “You never  _ stop  _ flirting!”

 

“I don’t flirt, I’m just friendly!” Naru said, ruffling her hair and feeling her face get hot. Nyoko raised her eyebrows.

 

“I’ve known you for three days and I know for a fact you flirt,”

 

“Am I… Am I confused here? Shika-kun? What does flirting mean?”

 

“Flirting?” Shikamaru said, his voice cracking. He cleared his throat. “Flirting is a way of talking to someone who you’re attracted to, or trying to attract someone, I  _ guess _ ,” 

 

“Like… yelling at them?” Naru asked. Everyone looked at her.

 

“No… Not that… At all… why- why would you…” Choji said, holding a potato chip aloft and shaking his head slowly, “That’s not… how you do that…”

 

“What? Then how would someone know you like them?”

 

“No one's gonna know you like them just because you yell at them!” Ino said, throwing her hands up in the air, “That’s not even remotely close to how you flirt,”

 

“How do you flirt then, Ino-chan?” Naru asked, genuinely curious. Choji snorted.

 

“She just yells at people too,”

 

“That’s not true!” Ino said, flicking her fringe out of her eyes and scowling, “You’ve just never seen me interact with a guy I like,”

 

“Okay,” Naru said, turning to Choji, “How do you flirt?”

 

“I don’t. Girls confuse me,”

 

“I don’t-“ Naru started, then she caught herself, “Understand them either. So confusing… girls are…” She let out a nervous laugh, “‘sides Sakura-chan… she’s… she’s not confusing,”

 

“Yeah she is, you just think she makes sense cause you like her,” Choji said. Naru and Shikamaru both promptly choked on their own spit. Nyoko frowned.

 

“Is this Sakura person your girlfriend?”

 

“What?!” Naru squeaked. Shikamaru was clutching his chest and practically hyperventilating.

 

“Do you have a girlfriend?”

 

“No,” Shikamaru gasped, “They don’t, He doesn’t,” 

 

“Oh, okay,” She said. Naru was spluttering. “But you like girls, don’t you?”

 

“Yeah,” Naru said, almost tripping over her own feet. Nyoko tilted her head.

 

“Okay. Just checking,” She said. Naru blinked. 

 

“Uh… Anyway… what were we talking about?”

 

“You were asking everyone for their flirting techniques,” Choji offered. Naru nodded.

 

“Oh yep, I remember,” She looked over at Shikamaru. “Shika-kun, have you ever flirted?”

 

“Uh, no, I don’t flirt,” 

 

“If, theoretically, you were to flirt, how would you go about it?” Choji chimed in, grinning mischievously. Naru seized on the idea.

 

“Yeah! How would you go about it? You’re like, the best strategist in the leaf! If you wanted to, winning someone over would be easy!” She said, bouncing on the spot. Ino and Choji both started laughing. Nyoko raised her eyebrows and turned to Shikamaru.

 

“I wouldn’t,” Shikamaru said. Naru frowned.

 

“Guess flirting’s too much trouble, huh?”

 

“I’ll leave the flirting up to you,” he groused, rolling his eyes. Naru looked at Choji, who was red in the face from suppressed laughter. Ino put her hand over her mouth to muffle herself.

 

“Well when you’re grown up I’m sure you’ll be sent out on seduction missions,” Nyoko said to Naru. Naru and Shikamaru both choked again. Ino actually screamed, stopping and stamping her foot. Naru coughed, bending over. Choji patted her on the back, tears streaming down his face.

 

“Only hot people get sent…” Naru coughed again, “Only hot people get sent out on missions like that,”

 

“Well, sure you’re a little short, Naruto-kun, but you aren’t ugly,” Nyoko said plainly. Naru cleared her throat.

 

“Thanks,” She said, sarcastically. 

 

“No, really, I’m sure you’ll be a specialist,” Nyoko said.

 

“No, he wont,” Shikamaru snapped, “and seduction missions aren’t actually very common. You read too many novels,”

 

“No such thing,” Nyoko snapped. 

 

“Seduction missions are mostly conducted by Kunoichi anyway,” Ino chimed in, “Not guys,”

 

“Sunshine, watch out, there’s some broken glass here,”

 

“Grumpy, you wrapped my feet so thick I could step on a kunai and not know,” Naru laughed, dodging the broken glass and rolling her eyes. He frowned.

 

“You have to walk on your feet. It wouldn’t be a good idea to hurt them during a mission like this. I can’t carry you on the way back,” 

 

“I could,” Choji said, smirking. Ino perked up.

 

“So could I,”

 

Shikamaru scowled. “The point is to not require carrying in the first place!” He snapped. Naru laughed. 

 

“No one carries me unless I’m unconscious, and even then, I’ll try to stand on my own. Like Eyebrows!”

 

“Man, that was so scary, remember?” Ino said, wide eyed. Naru nodded.

 

“Did a mission with his team recently though. He’s doing really good again!”

 

“Who’s ‘Eyebrows’?” Nyoko asked.

 

“It’s her nickname for one of our coworkers,” Shikamaru said. Nyoko looked at Naru.

 

“You like nicknames, huh?”

 

“Yeah, Princess, guess you could say I do,”

 

“How do you pick a nickname?”

 

Naru paused for a moment at thought about it, “I guess I just pick something about someone that I like or… that just sticks out… Like my mentor Pervy Sage or… a friend of mine, Bright eyes,”

 

“What would you call Ino?” Nyoko said, pointing at Ino’s back. Naru rubbed the scar on the back of her neck. She could see Ino tense up. 

 

“Ino-chan and I aren’t really close like that,”

 

“You call her Ino-chan,” Nyoko pointed out. Naru looked at her and frowned.  _ She’s shit-starting. Why is she shit-starting? _

 

“If I had to? Probably Samurai. But like I said, Ino-chan and I aren’t really there yet,”

 

Ino relaxed, but didn’t look back at Naru. Nyoko looked at Choji. “What about him?”

 

“Champ, that’s easy!” Naru said, grinning. Choji grinned at her. 

 

“How come I got the shittiest nickname?” Shikamaru snapped. Naru laughed.

 

“Cause you say shit like that, Grumpy,”

 

“ _ Bright eyes… _ Goddamn it,” Shikamaru grumbled. Naru grinned and shoved her hands into her pockets. 

 

“Don’t get sulky, you’re just reaffirming it,” 

 

“You’ve got me in a box here, Sunshine! If I tell you I don’t like it, I’m just reinforcing it, If I ignore it, you’ll tell me I obviously don’t mind it,”

 

“Does it really bother you that much, Shika-kun?”

 

“... no, but I don’t understand why everyone else gets a cool nickname and I get  _ Grumpy _ ,”

 

“Something is going on here that I just don’t understand, I can feel it,” Nyoko interjected, crossing her arms. Choji rolled his eyes.

 

“It’s literally… the most obvious thing… of all time,” Ino said. Naru blinked, looking around.

 

“What?”

 

“Nothing,” Ino groaned, smoothing her hair back and groaning. Naru paused.

 

“Is sexy jutsu considered flirting?” she asked. Nyoko turned to her, but Shikamaru turned red from his ears to his collar.

 

“Don’t- no! It’s not!”

 

“Sexy jutsu?” Nyoko asked, tilting her head. Naru grinned. She snapped her hands together, and split into two. Then she built up a little chakra and—

 

“Henge!” 

 

When the smoke cleared, she looked at her handiwork. It was funny, really. Two ninja, both in flack jackets, both still kinda looked like her- but not. One guy, one girl. She linked arms with the female clone and grinned. Shikamaru was bright red. Ino was glaring at her. Choji was cracking up, struggling for air. Nyoko stared at the female clone, then at Naru, who ruffled his hair and smirked.

 

“Yes! That’s flirting!” She said, pointing at his face. He grinned.

 

“Glad we figured it out,” He said. Shikamaru groaned and turned around, using his hands as blinkers and stomping down the road. Naru picked his clone up and put her on his shoulders, laughing. 

 

“So sexy jutsu is just you turning into hot people?” Nyoko asked, cocking an eyebrow.

 

“Normally it’s just one naked girl, or a bunch of naked girls,” Shikamaru snapped, “This is a more subtle, and infinitely more annoying version,”

 

“Maybe we should keep it going!” The female clone giggled, “This is fun! We can tell people we’re twins!” 

 

“Naruto and Naruko?” Naru suggested. Naruko nodded fervently, her blonde pigtails swinging as Naru walked along with her on his shoulders. Ino eyed her.

 

“The hair… why the pigtails?”

 

“I dunno? Pigtails are sexy, right?” Naruko said, stretching her arms above her head.

 

“Where does the guy come from?” Nyoko asked, looking at Naru curiously, “Do you think that’s what you’re gonna look like when you’re older?”

 

“Huh? Oh… I don’t know… I just… Thought about stuff people say is sexy? He’s tall and fit and stuff?” Naru shrugged, “Same stuff I did for the girl version I guess,”

 

“It’s funny how you’re like a weird inbetween of both of them,” Nyoko said, chewing on her fingernail, “Like you aren’t either one of them, but you’re still kinda both of them?”

 

“Uh, I don’t know if that’s rude or not…” Naru said. Ino frowned at Nyoko.

 

“I don’t either,” She said.

 

“I’m offended on your behalf,” Shikamaru snapped. Naru laughed.

 

“I guess it’s a good thing, you know, to be both?” Naruko said, tilting her head. Naruto shrugged again. 

 

“Guess so,” 

 

There was a puff of smoke and Naru was har regular self again. Shikamaru looked back at her. 

 

“I think you look best normal,” He said. Nyoko pointed at him.

 

“That’s flirting too!”

 

“What?” He yelped, almost tripping over himself, “No! I don’t flirt! What are you talking about?”

 

“No, no, Shikamaru-kun just really hates my sexy jutsu,” Naru said, stretching. “It really doesn’t work on smart people, I think, because Bright eyes didn’t fall for it either,”

 

“Why did you try a sexy jutsu on Hyuga?”

 

“It was kinda an accident? I guess?”

 

“We’re going to revisit this later, not now, but definitely later,” He said, pointing at her. Nyoko frowned again.

 

“Okay, now I  _ know _ there’s something here that I’m missing,” Nyoko said. Naru frowned. 

 

“Couldn’t be a soul, could it?”

 

“Low blow!” Choji said, holding back a laugh. Naru flushed.

 

“Sorry, didn’t mean to snap,” She said. Nyoko shrugged.

"Whatever, at least I don't have two,"

 

Naru frowned at her.  _What the hell did that mean?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Loverboy, You Me At Six (I love this songgggggg for herrrrrr)
> 
> Shikamaru: Fred Astaire, Jukebox The Ghost


	128. Ino, Always Ask First

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ding dong the witch is back home safe and the mission is technically over

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who else watched too much OHSHC when they were a youth and now can't get over the idea of it

Ino was almost excited to be rid of Nyoko. She was really on her last leg. It was difficult to resist beating the crap out of her. It always had been, but it got harder the longer the mission continued. The conversation where she’d made an offhand comment about Naru’s soul had brought her right back to the edge. She was ready for blood.  _ The next time she says anything to anyone on this team, I’m choking her. _

 

Naru was skipping along ahead of all of them, spinning occasionally and throwing in cartwheels every few minutes. Ino glanced at Shikamaru, who had a soppy, pathetic expression on his face. She smiled. _Too far gone._ _A jealous mess._ She looked at Naru and squinted. She thought briefly of Nyoko loudly asking if Sakura and Naru were dating. Anger flared in her stomach. _Guess I’m a jealous mess too._

 

She frowned. Her feelings were… confusing. Her long gone jealousy over Sasuke, her new jealousy over Naru… Did she really like them? Was she only trying to spite her ex best friend? 

 

Was Naru some kind of exception to the rule? What was it that made her so… whatever she was? There was no logical reason for it. It made no sense. Everything about this mission was so odd. There was an unexpected air about it, like it was more unpredictable than Ino’s usual, daily life. What was the opposite of deja vu? 

They came up to the palace gates, and Nyoko paused, Naru turned to her quickly, and pulled the wooden sandals out of her bag. Nyoko braced herself on Naru’s shoulder as she pulled off Naru’s sandals and stepped into her own. She winced as she did it, and kept her hands on Naru’s shoulders, squeezing them in pain. Naru yanked her own sandals on and straightened up. She offered Nyoko a half smile.

 

“Okay, Princess, you ready?”

 

“How do I look?” Nyoko asked nervously, still keeping her hands on Naru’s shoulders. Naru shrugged.

 

“Like you haven’t showered in three days, just like we all do. You’ll live,” 

 

Nyoko frowned, but Ino felt vindicated. Even at the gates Naru was getting digs in. 

 

“Is my face dirty? Do I have a spot?” 

 

“No, you’re fine, let’s go,” Naru sighed, turning to the gates and knocking like it was a regular front door. A guard leaned over from the guard tower. 

 

“Declare yourself!”

 

Naru scowled up at him. “Can you not see that Princess is right here? Really? We’re the leaf sent to escort her, we’re dropping her off,”

 

“Wait there,” The guard sighed, signalling someone to open the massive iron doors. Naru looked over at Shikamaru, who shot her a smirk. Ino knew what they were both thinking.  _ Even the guards on her father’s payroll are unhappy to see her. _

 

The door swung open, and two rows of guards stood lining the path to the palace. Naru cleared her throat, and everyone in earshot looked at her.

 

“Looks like we’re all good, alrighty then, see ya!” She moved to turn around but Nyoko’s hand caught her arm and dragged her in, close to her side. The princess looked around at the other three. 

 

“Oh, you’re not leaving yet. You all need to come on and meet my father,” 

 

“Uh, no, I don’t  _ do _ meeting the parents,” Naru said as Nyoko dragged her down the path to the entrance. “I’ve never met a parent in my life, I’m not starting with yours,”

 

Ino frowned, thinking back.  _ Naru’s never met a parent? Surely someone’s taken her home for a  sleepover or to work on homework… _ but then she remembered. No one even spoke to her before they graduated from the academy. It made sense that she’d never been in someone’s family home before. No one would have welcomed her. Ino wondered, not for the first time, why Naru  _ was  _ such an outcast. Why so many of her friend’s parents had dragged their daughters away from Naru on playgrounds. Why Ino herself had gone with them without even being told to. 

 

The palace doors opened in front of them, and they were greeted by the lord and his wife, who both rushed to hug their daughter. Naru extricated herself from Nyoko’s loosened grip and slipped back behind Shikamaru, looking more upset than was really reasonable. Ino glanced down to see him reach out and squeeze her hand. Ino turned around and watched as Nyoko began introducing them. 

 

“This is Choji, he’s not important,” She said, waving at Choji with a limp wrist. Choji snorted, but bowed to the Lord and Lady respectfully. They seemed embarrassed by their daughter, but didn’t scold her. Nyoko pointed at Ino, “This is Ino, she’s good with a scythe, but wears ugly shoes,” Ino felt her face grow hot, but followed Choji’s example and bowed respectfully. Nyoko pointed at Shikamaru. “This is Shikamaru. He’s pretty, but he can’t do push-ups, and I think he likes boys,” Shikamaru looked entirely bemused, and inclined his head respectfully. Neither the Lord, nor the Lady, commented on their daughter’s remark.

 

And then she turned to Naru, who was looking stone faced and ready for a barrage of insults. Nyoko levelled her finger at her. “And this is Naruto. Everyone calls him either Naru or Sunshine, and he’s really rude, but he took a blade for me, so I’d like to keep him,”

 

Everyone froze. Naru blanched- Ino had never seen Naru look so bloodless. The Lord turned to the short girl. 

 

“You… took a blade for my daughter, son?”

 

“I did my job, sir,” Naru said with a slight incline of the head. The Lord nodded. 

 

“Would you like a job as a personal guard?” He asked. Ino’s heart was in her throat. She stared around at the other members of team Asuma, who both looked as shocked as she felt. Naru swallowed loudly.

 

“Uh, thanks, but I already have a three year training engagement that’s gonna take me away in like… a week and a half. I really can’t,”

 

“Oh come on! You don’t need training! You break trees with your bare hands!” Nyoko said, stomping her foot and crossing her arms. Shikamaru was staring around like he’d just awoken from a coma. Choji looked like he was about to start nervous laughing himself into one. Ino’s internal organs felt like they were shutting down one by one. 

 

“Now, Nyoko, what have I told you about taking ‘no’ for an answer?” The Lady said calmly, laying her hand on the princess’s shoulder. Nyoko brushed it off and made a little scoffing noise.

 

“Would you like to break your journey here? Eat, and rest?” The Lord offered, still addressing himself to Naru. She hesitated, but shook her head. 

 

“I think we’d like to just leave, head back home. Right guys?” She asked looking around at her teammates. Ino nodded vigorously. Shikamaru shrugged. Choji finally did let out a little nervous laugh. 

 

“If that’s what you want to do, I will not oppose you, but we owe you a great debt for keeping our daughter safe. I would like you to stay for a short while, and eat while I write a message to send back to your Hokage,”

 

There was a tense silence, then Shikamaru bowed stiffly. “Yes sir,” He said. Naru looked at him, in almost the same soppy, pathetic way that Shikamaru looked at her, and then nodded too.  _ Nauseating.  _

 

The lord clapped his hands. “Excellent! Excellent! Akari-san, could you please take the leaf through to the banquet hall, and order the kitchens to whip something up-“

 

“Please, we don’t want to be any trouble-“ Shikamaru started, but he was waved off by both the lord and the lady.

 

“Nonsense!” The lady said, grasping her daughter’s hand, “the four of you brought Nyoko home to us, the very least we can do is give you food before you leave,”

 

As it turned out, Nyoko was surprisingly tolerable when she was around her parents. Unlike Naru had asserted, they did not ignore her, instead they positively doted on her. She ate a different meal than the rest of them, because it was her ‘favourite’ and Her mother listened to her version of events with suspended disbelief.

 

“And then, Naruto-kun leapt over me, and at first, I was scared that  _ he _ was attacking me, but then the blood started running down onto my Kimono- by the way, mother, we’ll have to send it out to be cleaned, if it’s even salvageable, look at the state of it! On second thought, we’ll just have to have another made-“

 

Ino glanced at Naru, whose eye was twitching. She suppressed the urge to laugh. Nyoko prattled on about improvements that could be made to the kimono, and then looked up at her mother.

 

“Where was I?”

 

“Naruto-kun has just blocked the blade from striking you with his own body,” Nyoko’s mother said plainly. Nyoko nodded.

 

“Oh yes! And I looked up at him, and he just stayed over me, even when Ino stood on him to wrench the scythe out of his back to fight the lady. And then Shikamaru came along and crushed the woman, and Choji picked Naruto-kun up and they cleaned his wound, which was really gross and made me feel super uncomfortable, and I was so scared I couldn’t stop crying, and Naruto-kun told me he took the blade to keep me safe-“

 

“I think he actually said something like ‘Stop crying’, but keep going,” Ino snapped. Nyoko squinted at Ino, but continued.

 

“Anyway… After that it went smoothly,”

 

Naru was chewing the insides of her cheeks. She looked upset at being made out to be some sort of hero. Ino smiled to herself.  _ If you don’t like it then stop running out in front of knives. _

 

“Well that sounds very scary, I’m glad you were so brave, and thankful that you were  _ all  _ there to help keep my daughter safe,” The Lady said, nodding to each of them. Naru and Choji nodded back. Ino and Shikamaru were just squinting at Nyoko. 

 

After that the Lady was called away, and Naru got up and began wandering around the room, obviously bored with sitting now that the food was finished. Nyoko watched her, her head tilted to one side, as though she was considering something. Eventually, she spoke again.

 

“Forget your training. Just come work for my dad,”

 

“That appeals to me about as much as getting stabbed in the back again,” Naru said, peering into her reflection in a shield on the wall and pulling her eyelids down, making a funny face at herself, then checking her teeth. Nyoko stood and walked over, stopping just short of touching her. She clasped her hands behind her back. Naru caught sight of her in the reflection on the shield and whipped around, stepping back and pressing herself against the wall.

 

“Well, I think it’s a good idea,” Nyoko said, peering at her through her lashes. Naru turned bright red. 

 

“You’re standing _ very _ close to me,” Naru said. Nyoko smiled. 

 

“I suppose I never said a proper thank you for saving my life, and… and I don’t know when I’m going to see you again, given that even if we hire the leaf again, there’s no guarantee that you’ll be on that squad,”

 

“I will actively avoid being placed on that squad,” Naru said. Nyoko reached forward and planted her hands on Naru’s shoulders. Shikamaru moved to stand up and promptly tripped over himself in a panic and swore under his breath, scrambling to right himself. Nyoko laughed.

 

“You’re funny,”

 

“I am, but I’m not joking,”

 

Nyoko leaned in toward Naru, closing her eyes. Naru reached behind herself on the wall and pulled the shield off, whipping it in front of her face so that Nyoko planted a kiss firmly on the cool metal surface. Her eyes flew open and she was staring at her own reflection. Naru took a deep breath.

 

“Uh, I guess now is a weird time to tell you I’m a girl,” Naru said, sliding out from behind the shield and tilting her head, “And that it’s not cool to try to kiss people without asking first,” 

 

Nyoko leapt back and pointed at her. “You’re a  _ girl _ ?”

 

“I’m pretty sure, yeah,” Naru said, lazily hanging the shield back up and crossing her arms, “not that it matters much,”

 

“But… but…”

 

“But you assumed I was a dude and I just didn’t correct you, because it didn’t matter. So everyone just played along,” Naru shrugged, “It doesn’t matter to me if people think I’m a boy or a girl. What matters is the fact you think it’s cool to kiss people all random and stuff, which: It’s not,”

 

Shikamaru let out a deep breath of relief, and Choji finally burst out laughing. Nyoko looked dizzy. Ino blinked.  _ Does… Does it matter if Naru is a girl or a boy, really? If you wanna kiss someone before you know, you’d still wanna kiss them afterward, right? _

 

They all looked around as Nyoko’s father strode in, and handed Shikamaru a scroll. He strode forward and rested his hands on Naru’s shoulders. “I will forever be indebted to you for the life of my daughter. My palace is open to you for as long as I live. If ever you do decide to join my family’s personal guard, we would be thrilled to have you,”

 

“Thanks bossman, I’ll remember that,” Naru said, “But since we’re all levelling stuff out here, I’m a girl… most of the time, Choji-chan is  _ very _ important, and Shikamaru  _ can  _ do push-ups,” Naru glanced at Ino, “and I think we all know Ino’s shoes are just fine,” She beamed up at the Lord, who was smiling down at her in a knowing way. Ino’s heart swelled. 

 

“You’re truly a credit to your village’s program, Naruto-san,”

 

“Naru,” She said, “I go almost exclusively by Naru,”

 

“Well Naru-san, the offer stands regardless. But, I do not wish to keep you from your long journey home. The servants at the door have a few supplies for you, and the reward for the safe return of my daughter. Think of it as a tip,”

 

Naru bowed, and they all followed suit. “Thank you sir,” Naru said. She looked back at Nyoko and shrugged. “Sorry, Princess, but you should always ask first,” She looked around at team Asuma and gestured toward the door. “Let’s get this shitshow on the road! Oh, whoops, sorry, bossman!”

 

The Lord just laughed as they all filed out and walked toward the front doors. There were servants there holding four small bags. Ino was handed a purple velvet one that clinked pleasantly as she held it. Choji was given a red silk bag. Shikamaru a grey, utilitarian looking bag that made solid, clunking noises, and Naru received a large, golden coloured bag with a silk tassel and a golden sun charm. She frowned when it was handed to her.  They walked out of the palace, waving at the royal family and rushing through the gates. Naru dumped the drawstring bag into her backpack and began walking forward on her hands. Ino elbowed Shikamaru.

 

“I saw you trip over yourself when you though Princess was swooping in on Naru. Were you…  _ jealous?” _

 

“No. Jealousy is too much trouble,” He said, rolling his eyes. Ino laughed. 

 

“Mhm,” She said, “Sure, keep telling yourself that. But…” She peered at him through her lashes, smirking, “since when do you call that Neji kid ‘Hyuga’? Maybe we could date it back to the first time you heard Naru call him ‘Bright eyes?’. And I saw you watching at her with that dorky look on your face. You might like boys, but you like Naru more,”

 

“Be quiet, Ino,” Shikamaru said with a sigh. Ino laughed and clapped him on the back.

 

“You can lie to everyone else, but you can’t lie to Choji and I, Shikamaru,”

 

“I’ve noticed,” He said. His eyes fixed back on Naru. “But someone told me something important before we came out on this mission, and I think she was right. I’m letting my feelings go,”

 

“What?” Ino said, shocked, “You can’t just  _ let feelings go,  _ they’re feelings. You feel them whether you want to or not,”

 

“Three years is a long time,”

 

“A hundred wouldn’t be enough for you, Shikamaru,” Ino said, looking at Naru as she grinned at them, red-faced from being upside down for so long, then lost balance and fell over backward. Shikamaru tilted his head and smiled.

 

“I hope you’re wrong,” He said, “But I think you might be right,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Creature, BONES (UK) (sorry it's just so perf for her)
> 
> Ino: Good, LAYNE
> 
> Shikamaru: Walk On By, CAKE
> 
> Choji: Rock 'N' Roll Lifestyle, CAKE (sooooo gooooood)
> 
> Nyoko: Bitch Theme, Bratmobile
> 
> (kissing people without permission isn't cool, it's assault, and "trans panic" is fucked up and not an excuse for anything. I wouldn't class what happened in this chapter as anything close to that but still. i just wanted to state that right now. I try to be (almost) realistic in the events i write, but i understand if people aren't cool w/ it. If you need warnings on chapters or have problems with stuff just let me know and I'll put warnings up.)


	129. Naru, Gifts And Radicalization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru has issues with monarchy and her twelve year old emotions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> how many bisexual puns can I make challenge

Naru and team Asuma were all sitting around a fire. Choji was passing out ration bars. Naru’s palms itched. She reached into her bag and pulled out the gold sachet of gifts from the feudal lord. She frowned at the little golden sun charm. She set the bag down in her lap and looked around.

 

“Any of you opened your bags?” 

 

They all looked at her. “No,” Ino said. Choji lowered the bar he was about to take a bite from.

 

“Why? Do you think something’s up, Naru-chan?”

 

Naru frowned again and looked down at the sun. “No, not really. It’s just… don’t you think they’re weird?”

 

“Not really. A rich guy like that? He probably has a bunch of these little bags laying around,” Choji rummaged in his own bag and pulled his out. “Wanna open ‘em?”

 

“We should all do it at once,” Ino said, bringing hers onto her lap. Shikamaru pulled his out too. Naru untied the satin rope and pulled her bag open. Inside it was two kunai, both slightly thinner and longer than regular kunai, and with larger finger rings. Naru pulled them out and twirled them, frowning as they span faster and smoother than her usual knives. She stabbed them into the log next to her and looked back into the bag. She pulled out a very large swath of fishnet rash guard, a high quality one that felt cool and flexible in her hands. She cocked an eyebrow.

 

“Maybe that’s not a bad idea for you,” Choji laughed as he watched Naru unravel the material and hold it up in the firelight, looking at her squad mates in it. Ino smiled.

 

“You should have a long sleeve made. It’d look good over your tank,”

 

Shikamaru glanced up at her. “More armour isn’t a bad Idea, you know. You don’t wear any at all, it stresses me out,”

 

**_THAT'S BECAUSE I AM THE ONLY ARMOUR YOU NEED, KIT OF MINE._ **

 

_ Wow, thanks Kurama, I’ll keep that in mind next time I faint of blood loss. _

 

**_YOU HAVE NOW PROMISED TWO OF THESE WEAK HUMAN BRATS THAT YOU’LL DO LESS ‘FAINTING OF BLOOD LOSS’. DO NOT BECOME A LIAR LIKE THE REST OF YOUR SPECIES. YOU STILL HAVE NOT FOUGHT WITH THE NARA BOY._ **

 

_ I’m working on it. _

 

Naru glanced at Shikamaru, who had been given a solid silver dining set and a well stocked med kit. Utilitarian, and very valuable. She looked at Choji, whose bag had contained food and knives similar to Naru’s, but curved. He was examining them closely, with a puzzled look on his face. Shikamaru looked over at him.

 

“Those will never make a clean wound. They’ll rip a guy to shreds. Naru’s are more for throwing, but those? Those’ll make a cut you can’t sew up,”

 

“Kinda cool, don’t think I’ll ever use em though,”

 

“Me neither,” Naru said, balling up the fishnet and setting it by her feet. She looked over at Ino, who was staring into her bag in awe. Naru cocked an eyebrow.

 

“What’d you get, Ino-chan?” 

 

Ino reached into her bag and pulled out a handful of brightly polished jump rings of different precious metals. She looked down at her shirt, and the dull steel ones she’d affixed in the hem, then looked up at Naru.

 

“You better get your ass back there and agree to be their personal family guard. Or footstool, or clown. Because this is insane,” She let the rings fall out of her hand and back into the bag, then rummaged around, the sound of metal hitting metal filling the air. “There’s so many! The silver ones! Oh my gods!” 

 

Naru squinted at the bag. They just filled a bag with precious metals for a stranger? how much were these other gifts worth? Naru lifted up her own bag and felt something else heavy in it. She reached in and pulled out…

 

“What the hell?” In the half light, it was impossible to know what the stone was, but it was a dark colour and clear enough that the light shone through it as she held it up to the fire, reflecting off the facets. Naru turned it around in her hand. It was the size of a baby’s fist, and oblong. She scowled at it. “Just how rich are these people?” She snapped. She looked at Shikamaru, who was frowning at the stone. Naru took a deep breath. “You know, this? This’ll probably keep my stupid ass fed for the next two years if it’s what I think it is. And this?” She held up the gold sunshine charm, “this’ll be the year after that. And they gave it away as a tip. No wonder this was a two-chunin mission. They probably shelled. And Princess wanted more? And was vocal about it? No wonder they had a hit out on her. I’d be furious if I lived here. I am furious,” Naru bit her top lip. “There isn’t enough money on the planet to make me wanna be around that family,”

 

“You’re right,” Shikamaru said in a level way, “But you can't say that kind of thing,”

 

“He seemed nice, nicer than his daughter, anyway,” Ino said, jingling her bag and shrugging. 

 

“Can you be nice while ruling over people with your pockets full of their money?” Naru said. All three of her squad mates looked at her with concern. She shrugged. “I dunno. Guess I’m just tired,” 

 

They all watched as she shoved everything but the knives back into the bag and tied it shut, then tossed it into her backpack and went into the tent. She settled down on the sleeping mat and pulled a blanket over herself, thinking of rice paddies. Thinking of farmers families. Thinking of people laying dead who may have had the right motivations to do the wrong thing.

 

And how it was her job to kill them anyway.

 

She drifted into an uneasy sleep. Kurama awaited her.

 

**_AH, KIT, IT IS GOOD TO SEE YOU WITHOUT THE VEIL OF DEATH FOLLOWING CLOSELY BEHIND._ **

 

_ Don’t be an asshole. _

 

**_IF IT WEREN'T FOR ME YOU WOULD BE DEAD HOW MANY TIMES OVER BY NOW?_ **

 

_ Four or five. But I do have you, so shut up about it. _

 

**_NOW. ABOUT THIS BOY. THE NARA HEIR._ **

 

_ Don’t you dare fire off about Shika-kun, I don’t want to hear it. _

 

**_BEARING HIS CHILDREN WOULD BE A MISTAKE._ **

 

_ Kurama I am twelve and we aren’t like that. _

 

They kyuubi crossed his forelegs and brought his face forward, staring through the window at Naru. Naru frowned at him. 

 

**_HE PLANS FOR YOU._ **

 

_ He plans for everything. It's what he does. I’m not a girl who guys like. It’s just not who I am. I’m… _

 

**_HAVE YOU FIGURED IT OUT YET, KIT?_ **

 

_ What are you talking about? _

 

**_YOU WILL KNOW WHEN IT MATTERS._ **

 

_ I hate it when you get cryptic. _

 

**_YOU ARE SULKY BECAUSE OF YOUR GIFT FROM THE FEUDAL LORD._ **

 

_ Oh, you caught that, did you? _

 

**_I WAS WAITING FOR YOU FROM WHEN YOU USED A SHIELD ON THE PRESUMPTUOUS BRAT._ **

 

_ Yeah. Well. The world just isn’t fair, and it bugs me. _

 

**_BURN IT DOWN, NARUTO._ **

 

Naru looked up at him, and felt the worrying pull of temptation. But then she thought of Sada and Nozomi and Ranmaru, and Shikamaru, and Neji and Sakura.

 

_ Not… not the whole world. Some stuff works out. _

 

**_ONLY WHEN YOUR HAND IS INVOLVED, FROM WHAT I HAVE SEEN._ **

 

_ Yet another reason not to burn it all. Maybe I can change it for the better. _

 

**_AH, THE UNBRIDLED OPTIMISM OF A KIT. MANKIND IS CRUEL, LITTLE ONE. YOU WILL LEARN THIS WITH TIME._ **

 

_ I think I learned it a long time ago. _

 

Naru get a weird pulling motion. She looked up, and Kurama was rolling his eyes. 

 

**_THE NARA. HE WISHES TO SPEAK TO YOU._ **

 

Naru jerked awake and upright, solidly head butting Shikamaru, who had been leaning over her. He fell back, holding his hand to his forehead. 

 

“Ouch, Sunshine! Who the hell wakes up like that?”

 

“Sorry Shika-kun! Are you okay?” She asked, reaching out and pulling him back up. He rubbed his forehead and nodded.

 

“Yeah, but you’ve got a head like a battering ram,”

 

“Careful, you’ll give me ideas,”

 

“I know for a  _ fact _ that you’ve headbutted people before, don’t act like it’s my fault you have a reinforced skull,” Shikamaru teased, smiling. Naru smiled back and brought her knees up to her chest.

 

“How’d you know?”

 

“Cause I know you’ll use any part of yourself as a weapon if it comes down to it. I’m sure you’d manage to use your right pinky toe to kill a guy if you had to,”

 

Naru tapped her chin, acting like she was pondering how she’d do it. “Hmmm,” Shikamaru tapped her shoulder, and she let out a little laugh. She looked around. 

 

“Choji-chan and Ino-chan still havin a campfire jam sesh?”

 

“Something like that,” Shikamaru said. His face got serious for a second. “You looked like you were having a bad dream, and I noticed you were kinda off before you went to sleep. Do you wanna talk?”

 

“Nah,” She said, shaking her head and running her hands through her hair. “Much like our darling hero, Ohta, I’ll just… stew in my problems,” Shikamaru laughed, and leaned forward.

 

“You know I still have that book,”

 

“You stole it?”

 

“No, no, she told me she wanted me to keep it while you were unconscious. I think she thought it had gay germs on it,”

 

“Gay?”

 

Shikamaru paused, staring at her. “Yeah… gay. You know, how she said I liked guys? Guess she didn’t know bisexuality is a thing,”

 

Naru blinked, her brain stuttering into motion. “Wait…  _ there’s a name for it? _ ” 

Shikamaru paused, then burst out laughing. “Yeah, there’s a name for it! Oh my gods! That’s so funny. Have you just been… This whole time you didn’t- I can’t breathe,”

 

“Shika-kun! Stop laughing! Who’s supposed to tell me about this stuff?” Naru said, grinning. Shikamaru hiccuped and grinned at her.

 

“I guess me,” He said, “yeah, they say if you like just the same gender as yourself, you’re gay, and if you like more than one, you’re bi,” he shrugged. Naru stared at him, aghast. 

 

“This whole time I’ve been missing out on the potential to use ‘bi’ in my pun dictionary and no one told me? This… this opens a whole new world of opportunities,” Naru said, falling back onto her mat, “This whole time I thought I was limited to ‘both ways’ and jokes involving indecision, and there was a whole world of easily accessible puns that no one informed me of?”

 

“I’ve created a monster,” Shikamaru groaned.

 

“You’ve done the gods work today, Shikamaru-kun,” Naru said, patting the mat next to her, “Come on, lay down  _ bi _ me,”

 

“Oh no,” Shikamaru said, settling in next to her and smiling. She grinned.

 

“Don’t look so worried, Grumpy,” She said, “I can tell  _ bi _ the way you’re looking at me that you don’t want me to keep making puns, but I just can’t let the opportunity slip  _ bi _ any longer,”

 

Shikamaru was laughing silently, his eyes squeezed shut and a pained expression on his face as his body shook with it. “No,” he groaned, “Please, mercy,”

 

“Don’t hold cheesy jokes against me, Shikamaru-kun, let  _ bi _ gones be  _ bi _ gones,” 

 

“No, that’s the last one, really,” Shikamaru said, patting her face with his hand, “Please,”

 

“Okay, I’m running out anyway,” She said, shrugging. Shikamaru let out a sigh of relief. 

 

“Good. I thought for a minute I was in some serious trouble,”

 

“We should read that book. We never got to the end of it,” Naru said, smiling. Shikamaru smiled back.

 

“Okay, lemme go grab it,” He said, and he got up and rummaged through his backpack, extricating the book. Naru propped herself up on her elbows and smiled at him as he did it.

 

“You know, I’m glad I have someone like you around,” She said. Shikamaru glanced at her.

 

“I’m glad I have someone like you around too. Well, frankly there’s no one else but you who’s anything remotely close to who you are, so I guess I should just say I’m glad I have you around,”

 

Naru laughed and flopped back onto her mat. “There’s plenty of people like me,” She said. “Plenty,”

 

“That’s the biggest lie I’ve ever heard,” Shikamaru sneered, sitting back down and flipping through to the page where they left off, “and we’re ninja,”

 

Naru laughed, and settled onto her side, watching him as he read the crappy romance novel. Eventually, she grabbed at the blanket and looked around. 

 

“Hey, Shika-kun?”

 

“Yeah?” He said, looking up from the book, placing his finger where he had left off, “what?”

 

“You’re… you’re not going to forget me, are you?”

 

Shikamaru blinked down at her. “Sunshine…” He paused, then snapped the book down and lay next to her, staring intently at the tent roof, “a hundred years wouldn’t be enough to forget you,”

 

Naru paused, and smiled at him. “You know, I take it back. You’re the only person like you too. I’m glad I have you around,”

 

“I’m glad to hear it,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll do the songs later  
>  I need to get to werk


	130. Shikamaru, A Real Pain In The Ass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shika, baby, babe, honey, sweetheart. Stop It.
> 
> Naru brings up more progressive ideals.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we're getting dangerously close to shippuden and and quite possibly my favourite arc of all time so !!!!!!!! yay!!!!!!!!! also: D R E A D

When they finally made it back to the village, Shikamaru and Naru had finished all of Makeout Violence, and talked about several different endings that would have been more satisfying, such as Ohta marrying Hideaki, or Hitomu deciding she’d rather be single and riding away into the sunset. Naru made a fair point, that from Hideaki’s perspective, Hitomu had been unfaithful to him, which, although it didn’t justify his vendetta against Ohta, it definitely explained it. 

 

“I still don’t see why they didn’t all just get married to each other, I mean, after Hideaki got so jealous he kissed Ohta- which, I think is bull, the whole ‘taking back Hitomu’s kiss’ thing, he just wanted to makeout with Ohta, for sure- anyway, after that they shoulda just all got married together,”

 

“Three people can’t get married together, Sunshine,” Shikamaru said, smiling and ducking under a branch. Naru looked at him with a surprised expression.

 

“Why not?”

 

Shikamaru paused. He couldn’t really think of a reason. He shrugged. “It just doesn’t happen like that,”

 

“Well I think that if three people all love one another and want to go and marry each other, they should do it. There’s no reason why Hitomu, Hideaki and Ohta couldn’t all just quit their lives of crime and plans for vengeance and go buy a cottage and play board games together. They didn’t have to kill Hideaki just because he was in love with Hitomu. In fact, why were so many people in love with Hitomu anyway? She’s got the personality of a wet rag!” Naru gestured violently in the air, “But most importantly, why couldn’t Pervy Sage just let love happen? Every time anyone got remotely close to being happy, the gangs started getting restless or someone got injured, and then there was another four chapters of them all pining after each other. Ugh. So frustrating,”

 

“What, you think that could work? Three people all married? You don’t think there’d be problems with jealousy? I mean, none of these guys were even in relationships and they killed each other over it,”

 

“Well if they all had talked it out and decided that’s what they wanted, what’s the harm? Listen, if three stuffy grown ups all wanna all get together and make out with each other then who’s gonna tell ‘em no? Not me. I got other shit to do,”

 

“Would you wanna do that? Marry a bunch a people?” Shikamaru asked, staring at Naru. Naru grinned and shook her head.

 

“I’m not getting married. I’m gonna be the Hokage and spend every night in the club showin’ everyone up with my sick dance moves!” She laughed, putting her hands behind her head and striking a pose. Shikamaru snorted.

 

“Yeah, super sick moves, let me know how that works out for you,”

 

“What? You don’t wanna join me? You could be my right hand man! We could tear it up together, you know,”

 

“I don’t know. I like kids. I think… I think I wanna have one or two one day,”

 

Naru paused, thoughtful for a moment, then smiled. “Well I do like kids. Do you gotta get married to have kids?”

 

“No, you can definitely make a kid without getting married. I don’t know anyone who’s decided to do it though,” Shikamaru paused. Had… had no one ever told Naru how children came to be? She was pondering what he said, looking genuinely introspective. Shikamaru flushed.  _ What a pain in the ass! I’m not gonna be the one who explains it to her. _

 

“Oh look! The gates!” Naru said, running along ahead of them all and looking around. No one was waiting to greet her this time, but the guards flagged her down and made her sign in. She was being handed paperwork by the time Shikamaru walked up. He had an urge to wrap his arms around her, but ignored it. She turned and grinned.

 

“Did you grab mine too?” He asked, leaning down and signing in. Their arms brushed. How pathetic was he, that it made his whole body prickle? 

 

“Nah just Ino-chan and Choji-chan,” She said, looking around, “Where are they?” She asked. Shikamaru looked around too.

 

“They aren’t here yet. We can sit over there and start this paperwork if you want,” he offered, pointing at a shady spot by the gate.

 

“Yeah, okay,” Naru said. They settled in and started their paperwork. Naru was staring at it intently, her lips moving as she wrote. It made it hard to focus. Not that Shikamaru really needed to focus to fill out reports, but still, if ever Naru did become Hokage and appoint him her right hand, he wouldn’t manage to get any work done.

 

_ You’ll be over it by then, you idiot, Shikamaru. _ He thought, shaking himself. 

 

“You guys rushed ahead,” Choji said, smirking. It was true. Naru and Shikamaru had sped up a little so that Ino and Choji wouldn’t hear them talking about Makeout Violence. Naru laughed.

 

“More like you guys slowed down. It’s those  _ hideous shoes, _ Ino-chan, they were weighing you down,” Naru said, imitating Nyoko’s snotty tone. Choji laughed, but Ino snarled.

 

“Why, you!”

 

“Come on! You know I was joking!” Naru laughed, pulling Shikamaru in front of her, making Ino stop dead and try to maneuver around him.

 

“Hey!” He complained, but he pushed Naru further behind himself and brought the remaining paperwork forward. Naru giggled.

 

“Ino-chan!” Naru yelped as Ino tried to get around Shikamaru to hit her, “No! I’m joking, your shoes are beautiful!”

 

“Naru you little monster!” Ino growled, snatching hers and Choji’s paperwork from Shikamaru and flopping down next to Shikamaru’s spot. Choji sat down next to her, grinning ear to ear, and they all settled in. Naru let Shikamaru go, and he fell back into his place, maybe a  _ very _ little bit closer than before. He filled out the parts he knew the Hokage would check, but just scribbled gibberish for the rest of the fields. Once he was done, he looked over at Naru’s paper. She had the messiest handwriting he’d ever seen, but she was trying. He smiled. He hardly ever smiled normally, but he couldn’t help himself. Naru and Choji both just got the better of him. 

 

Naru finished her paper and leaned back, handing it to Shikamaru. She winked at him. “I said the team leader was garbage and should be demoted,”

 

“I can read your writing,  _ despite your best efforts _ , and it says here you thought I was… ‘the bomb’,” He said, flicking her temple. She laughed and pushed his hand away. 

 

“Whatever…” She laughed. Just then there was a  _ very loud _ buzzing noise and a shout.

 

“Shino-chan!” Kiba’s voice came ringing out to them all, “Stop it!”

 

Just then Shino came stomping around the corner, his hands in his pockets, and Naru shot to her feet, looking nervous.

 

“Hey! Shino-chan… long time, no see-”

 

Shino stomped right up to Naru, who looked positively puny in comparison to him, and leaned over her, (much too close, in Shikamaru’s opinion).

 

“I have been looking for you…” Shino growled, the buzzing emitting from him almost deafening, “for two weeks,”

 

“Sorry, Shino-chan! I just-”

 

“Do you understand… just how stressful it was, to be the reason you almost bled out, and the leader of your mission, and have no clue about how you were doing?”

 

“I’m fine,” Naru laughed nervously, stepping backward and bumping into the wall behind her. Shikamaru stood, but before he could intervene, Kiba stepped forward and placed his hand on Shino’s chest.

 

“Shino-chan’s just trying to say he’s glad you’re okay,” Kiba said, smiling at her. Naru shot him a half smile and looked back at Shino.

 

“Sorry I worried you, Shino-chan,”

 

“You should be,” He growled. “It was unpleasant,” He leaned in, cleared his throat and said under his breath, “Thank you,” then immediately and turned on his heel, stomping away. Kiba frowned.

 

“Shino-chan!” He called, but Shino just kept walking. Kiba looked at Naru and grinned again. “Sorry about that. He was just… stressed when you left the hospital. And then we kept hearing you getting sent out on missions, but none of us could get a hold of you to ask you if you were okay. I… Uh, He probably doesn’t want me to tell you, but he totally just planted a tracking beetle on you,”

 

Shikamaru felt himself bristle, but Naru just started cracking up. “Guess I earned that one, huh?” she said, ruffling her hair, “No stress, I’m only around for another week anyway. Doubt I’ll even get another assignment. It won’t hurt anything to have a bug on my shirt for a couple days,”

 

“He can’t just track you, it’s… it’s…” Shikamaru spluttered. Naru shrugged.

 

“It’s Shino-chan. I’m not worried,” Naru flushed a little, “I really… I am sorry about what I did after that mission. I guess I didn’t think about just how many people would notice I was gone,”

 

“Where were you all that time anyway?” Kiba asked, curiously. Naru shook her head.

 

“Doesn’t matter. I’m back,”

 

Shikamaru threw his arm over her shoulders and drew her in, surreptitiously checking the back of her shirt to see if he could find the beetle. “It’s okay, Sunshine,” He said, staring Kiba down. Naru rolled her eyes.

 

“I know you’re over it, Shika-kun,”

 

Kiba wrinkled his nose and looked away, back down the road to where Shino had stormed off to. “I should go get him, catch ya later, Naru-chan!”

 

“Bye Kiba-chan! We should hang out this week!”

 

“Hell yeah!” He said, waving, “Sounds like a plan!”

 

Shikamaru ran his tongue over his teeth, watching Kiba and Akamaru’s retreating backs. Naru was grinning. 

 

“Man I’m glad he’s got that thing going with Kankuro now. It’s good to know he’s not still crushing on me,”

 

“Wait… You knew about that?” Shikamaru snapped, staring at her. She looked up at him.

 

“Yeah, everyone told me about it, weird huh? I dunno why anyone would have a crush on me like that,”

 

“Uh-huh,” Shikamaru said, nodding slowly.  _ Shit. Does she know I like her? _

 

“Well, it’s even better no one likes me now, cause I’m gonna leave soon. Hey! Shikamaru-kun! Can I leave my keys with you? Someone’s gotta water my plants and make sure no one makes off with my  _ super valuable _ one, single plate that I own, but if you don’t wanna, then I can ask Sakura-chan, so no pressure,”

 

“Yeah,” He said, “No problem,” He glanced behind himself, to see Ino and Choji rolling on the ground, red-faced and trying hard not to let Naru hear them laughing. Ino made a whipping motion with one hand, wiping tears from her eyes with the other. He rolled his eyes and looked back at Naru, who looked up at him at the same time and beamed.

 

“Thanks, man, I appreciate it,” 

 

_ Oh gods, I’m never getting over her, what a drag. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Midway, Bad Bad Hats
> 
> Shikamaru: Love You Madly, Cake


	131. Naru, I Came Here To Cry And Kick Ass, And I'm All Out Of Tears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru cries and is sad, then she gets ready for a fight. Basically a normal day for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kurama just... Does not like Humans

Naru was sitting in her apartment. It was early. Probably around four, and she was sitting on the floor, staring at her dresser. It was shameful. But no one would see. No one would know. She stood. She walked to the dresser. She pulled it out, shoved the tangle of tattered and retired trousers aside and pulled it out. She held it up to her face and inhaled. It still smelled like him. She felt tears prickle her eyes. 

 

She held Sasuke’s shirt out in front of her, flipping it around so that she could see the Uchiha crest on the back. She hesitated again. She even glanced at the newly replaced window, and the door. No one would know. She pulled it on over her head, and laid back down on the floor. The tears really did come now. They burned on her face, and ran into her hair. He was gone. He’d abandoned her. He didn’t give a shit anymore. But by every god above the earth, on it and under it, she couldn’t give up on him. If she wrote him off, then everyone would. She’d sworn she’d bring him home and she would. She pulled his shirt up over her nose and traced the cracks in the ceiling with her eyes.  With every breath, it smelled less like him… and more like her. And he just… kept getting further away. She inhaled deeply, flattening her hands against the floor as though to ground herself there, to take root. She let her eyes fall closed. 

 

He had killed her. She would be dead if not for Kurama. Twice over, by his hand, she’d died. The second time… The second time almost for real. But did it count? If she didn’t really die, did it count at all? She’d done him a lot of damage. He’d been half-  _ more _ than half dead when he did it the second time. Had it just been adrenaline? He’d draped his shirt over her. Was it shame? The hope that she’d wake up again, like she had the first time? Remorse?

 

Did he know she was alive? Did he care? Was she crazy for making excuses for him? He was still her best friend, no matter what he did. No matter what, she’d get him back. She felt her eyes fly open, and she pulled the shirt down off her face. 

 

“I’ll get you back, you dumb son of a bitch, I really will. I’ll kick your ass. I’ll drag you back here and kick your ass twice for every second you left me, and every second you spent fucking around out there,” She growled, slamming her fists into the ground on either side of her, denting the wooden floor a little. 

 

She got up and made herself a cup of tea, still wearing his shirt. It was the shirt that had been the last thing he left her, not the scar, and she’d give it back to him one day. She knew she would. 

 

She sat down on her bed with her tea and drank it, glaring around at the four walls around her. She felt Kurama stir.

 

**_DON’T LET THIS WORLD MAKE YOU A LIAR, BRAT. YOUR UNKEPT PROMISES ARE BEGINNING TO PILE UP._ **

 

“Only unkept because they will take time, Kurama. Don’t you worry,”

 

**_YOU SHOULD STOP MAKING PROMISES TO MEN. MAKE PROMISES TO ME INSTEAD._ **

 

“What would you like me to promise you?”

 

**_BEAR NO MAN’S CHILD._ **

 

“I kinda wanna have kids, Kurama,”

 

**_THEN MAKE THEM YOURS AND YOURS ALONE. UZUMAKI KITS, NOT SOME OTHER NAME._ **

 

“My mother gave me my name, I think I can safely promise I will pass my name down too. Well… the last part of it, anyway,”

 

**_I WILL TAKE IT._ **

“Good to know you approve,”

 

**_NOW TAKE OFF THE UCHIHA’S SHIRT. YOU’RE TOO WIDE FOR IT, YOU LOOK RIDICULOUS._ **

 

“Every fucking time I think we’re getting along you say some shit like that,” Naru laughed, pulling the shirt off and putting it back in the drawer. Kurama grumbled something and settled back down. She talked to him a little as she did some push ups, then some curl ups, then he went back to sleep and she took a shower. She got dressed and went out. She wandered the streets. The sun was rising. She was empty inside. She’d cried it all out. She climbed up on top of some stupid expensive apartment building and looked out over Konoha as the sun rose. It was beautiful, her city in the land of fire. She loved this place so much. She could never, never leave it. 

 

She clambered up onto some rebar, grabbing a beam supporting a water tower and leaning out over the road, feeling the rush of adrenaline from hanging over the edge, so high up. She looked down, and almost fell.

 

“What the heck are you doing, Naruto Uzumaki?” Sakura bellowed up at her, her hands on her hips.

 

“Nothing!” Naru yelped, snapping her other hand to the bar for a better grip and sliding down to the rooftop. She could hear Sakura’s exaggerated sigh from ten stories up.

 

“Get down here and come with me, you reckless idiot!”

 

Naru leapt down, causing Sakura to scream a little, but she landed hard on her feet and knees, her hand slamming to the ground, and she straightened up.

 

“Whatcha up to?”

 

“Just come with me,” Sakura snapped, grabbing Naru’s dirty hand and dragging her behind herself. 

 

Next thing she knew, Naru was in the library. Which was becoming a more and more frequent occurrence, despite her best efforts. She was sitting across from Sakura, who was reading a medical textbook and chewing on the end of her pencil. Naru had found a published fanwork for Makeout Violence, and was skimming it, thinking about how she’d have to tell Shikamaru about it. Hideaki and Ohta were having a love affair in this one, after Ohta had discovered Hideaki had actually survived. She knew Shikamaru would like it, because he liked them together. Sakura had teased her for a little while before settling into her own book, but Naru refused to admit why she was reading it. She was flipping through a dirty part when she felt the book being yanked out of her hands.

 

“Hey!”

 

“Hey yourself,” Iruka snapped, glaring down at her, “Reading this garbage in public! How dare you! And you’re underage. If I wasn’t so shocked you were reading anything at all, I’d get you banned from the library!”

 

“Iruka-sensei!” Naru said, grinning and leaping to her feet. She hugged him, and he patted her head, his expression softening slightly.

 

“Naru-kun, I’m mid-admonishment here,”

 

“Ad-mon-ich-ments can wait, I haven’t seen you in forever!”

 

“I definitely shouldn’t get you banned from the library,” He chuckled, “How are you doing?”

 

“Aces! Totally rad,” She said, stepping back and grinning up at him. Iruka looked over at Sakura.

“Still working hard at that internship, huh?” He said, “I’m so proud of my former students, learning with the legendary Sanin,” He said, ruffling Naru’s hair, “I remember when none of you could even build chakra properly…”

 

“Aw, Iruka-sensei! Don’t get all nostalgic on us!” Naru laughed, flopping back into her chair and groaning. Iruka crossed his arms and frowned down at her.

 

“Now listen-”

 

“Iruka!” Another chunin barked, charging up to him, “Lady Hokage wants to see you in her office as soon as possible!”

 

Naru sat up, setting her hand down on the table and staring intently at the ninja. Iruka frowned. 

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“There’s been a prison break,” The man said, still trying to catch his breath. Iruka shot Naru a look and tensed up even more. 

 

“Let’s go,” He said to the stranger. Naru leapt to her feet, closely followed by Sakura.

 

“We’re coming,” Naru barked, taking the book out of Iruka’s hand and tossing it onto the table. Sakura carefully marked her place and shut the book. Iruka shook his head.

 

“I don’t want you involved in this,”

 

“Uh, Iruka-sensei, you were just talking about how far we’ve come, and I know what that look meant. This has something to do with me. I’m coming,”

 

“Bull-headed as ever, and you, Sakura-kun-“

 

“If Naru-chan goes, I go,” She said plainly, “If I can help it, I’ll always fight by her side,”

 

“Cheesy,” Naru laughed, smiling at Sakura. Sakura smiled back. 

 

“Okay, fine, the brats can come, but we have to go now!” The other Chunin snapped. Naru was already striding down the aisle, leaving the other three to scramble to catch up. The second they were out of the building, they all leapt onto the roof and began running toward the Hokage’s dome. Naru glanced over at Iruka. He looked worried. It made her worried too.

 

When they finally got to the dome, Naru and Sakura were shut out of the debriefing. Naru paced back and forth in front of the door like a caged animal. Skura leaned against the wall, her hands behind her back, watching Naru prowl. Naru snarled at the door, moving to kick it open, but Sakura held her hand out, and with her other she placed a finger to her lips.

 

They could just hear Iruka’s voice through the door. “And you need me because… Because I knew Mizuki best?” Naru froze, picturing the white hair and sickening smirk.

 

Lady Tsunade spoke evenly. “Yes,”

 

“I obviously hardly knew him at all. My  _ ‘boyfriend _ ’ had a fiance and was a traitor. The man was a liar,” Naru swallowed.  _ I didn’t know he and Mizuki-sensei... _

 

“He lied to everyone,” Tsunade said, “But you spent time with him… Surely…”

 

“Yeah. I have an idea where he went,”

 

Naru looked over at Sakura, who was staring at her, wide-eyed.

 

“You… you think you can do this?” She whispered. Naru shot her a smirk and nodded.

 

“Are you kidding me? I  _ wanna _ beat his traitorous ass again,” She snarled. She looked back at the door. “Especially if he broke Iruka-sensei’s heart. That’s just a whole ‘nother reason to bring the fucking pain,”

 

“Good,” Sakura said, straightening up, “because Ibara wants in on this one too,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Sunburn, K.Flay
> 
> Sakura: You Don't Think You Like People Like Me, Alex Lahey
> 
> Iruka: Better Than That, Cyberbully Mom Club


	132. Sakura, The Side Effects of Knowing A Cheating Bastard

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sakura sees the side effects of unhealthy relationships in action and doesn't like it at all

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YOU GUYS I'VE BEEN WRITING THIS MESS FOR THREE MONTHS CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? i can. 
> 
> I've been having a weird depressive episode today so this chapter is short but i love you guys I promise this arc is going to be really quick.

 

Sakura was nervous about a lot of things. Mostly the things she was nervous about involved Naru. Almost all of them involved Naru, actually.

 

Naru was a very worrying person.

 

They were all travelling to Mizuki’s fiancé’s house. Iruka was stone faced and silent. Naru kept shaking her head and cracking her knuckles. Rolling her shoulders, twitching strangely. Itching for a fight. She’d beaten Mizuki before, but that was back before he’d gone to prison, back when everyone thought she was nothing but a pathetic flunkie with no talent. And back before Mizuki went to prison. Apparently he was strong enough now to break out of prison by himself, a feat which should have been impossible.

 

What was it that Naru said?  _ Lots of things are impossible until someone does them? _ She drew closer to her friend.

 

“Hey,” Sakura said, quietly, so that Iruka couldn’t hear. Naru looked at her quickly, almost dismissive.

 

“Mm?”

 

Sakura was a little taken aback, but then again, Naru was about to face the man who’d almost turned her into a rogue nin before she’d even become a Genin. It wouldn’t be surprising if she was feeling on edge. “You know, I’m here for you, right?”

 

“Yeah, course, we’re friends,”

 

“We’re best friends, Naru-chan,” Sakura said, reaching out and grasping Naru’s hand. Naru looked down at it, surprised.

 

“B-best friends?” Naru asked, blinking at where their hands met. Sakura smiled.

 

“Yeah. Best friends. You’re my best friend, Naruto Uzumaki,”

 

Naru turned bright red from her shoulders to the roots of her hair. Sakura wouldn’t have been surprised if steam had started pouring out of her ears. Naru chewed on her top lip and looked up at the sky.

 

“Yeah, we are, aren’t we?” Naru said, shaking her head a little, “Best friends…” She brought her free hand to the back of her neck and traced the scar there with her fingers. Sakura didn’t like it. She didn’t like that scar and she didn't like the expression on Naru’s face when she touched it. Like she was longing for something. Like she was missing something.

 

But then they arrived at the house, and Iruka knocked on the door. A dark haired woman with a black eye answered it, and upon seeing Iruka, she tried to shut the door on him. He held his hand out and spoke.

 

“Please… I’m sorry. But we need to work together. Where did he go?”

 

“How am I supposed to know where he went? Maybe into your bed again, did you check there?” The woman snapped angrily, whipping the door open and out of his hand and standing before him, bristling. Naru cleared her throat, like she was going to say something, but Sakura stomped on her foot.

 

“I didn’t know about you, Tsubaki-san, how could I have?”

 

“I knew about you, though, Iruka!” The woman said, tears in her eyes, “He’d come home and smell like you and like the drinks you two had and leave me wondering… I hated you!”

 

“I’m so sorry, Tsubaki-san, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know,”

 

“It’s not your fault,”

 

Naru turned to Sakura, hissing under her breath, “This is some shit, huh?”

 

Sakura shushed her.

 

“We have to find him. You know where he’s going, don’t you?” Iruka said. Tsubaki raised her fingers to her bruised eye, and nodded. 

 

“Okay, but promise… all of you, promise,” She said, looking at the girls for the first time, “That you won’t kill him,”

 

“Sure, but I’m not gonna be nice,” Naru said, crossing her arms. Sakura just nodded. 

 

“You have my word,” Iruka said. Tsubaki nodded.

 

“Let me get my things,” She said, stepping aside to let them in. Iruka gestured to the girls to file in ahead of him, and they did, standing in the hallways awkwardly until the adults walked by them. Iruka hesitated, looking around at the home. He looked uncomfortable. Sakura wondered what it must have felt like for him to have found out his relationship had been ‘the other’. He’d been wronged just as much as Tsubaki, yet he was the one with apologies spilling from his lips. His heart was likely hurt as badly as hers, but she gave her anger to him and not her cheating fiancé. Tsubaki came back in her chunin vest and with a serious look on her face. Her headband was tied around her arm, and she looked ready for a fight.

 

“Let’s go,” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: I Haven't Been Taking Care Of Myself, Alex Lahey
> 
> Sakura: Running Trains, MC Lars & K.Flay
> 
> Iruka: Everybody's Lonely, Jukebox The Ghost


	133. Naru, Bite or Flight Reflex

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru saves her teacher's ass. Maybe she is keeping her promises.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another short one today folks, love u.

Naru and Sakura had been left outside the academies teacher training facility. Naru was pacing, hoping they’d bring the fight out soon. Tsubaki and Iruka has gone in, and from what they could hear and how long it had been, they’d found him. Mizuki, her first ever real enemy, was in that building. She wanted to lay eyes on him. Well, actually, she wanted to lay hands on him, and shred him, rip him limb from limb for playing with people’s hearts and minds as though they didn’t matter. Tsubaki had been incredibly cold toward Naru at first, eyeing her cautiously the way adults always used to. But it didn’t take long before she’d started to speak to her. Asking her questions about her accomplishments, trying to see if she’d really done the things that people said she did.

 

“They’re Chunin, just like Mizuki. They’ll be fine,” Sakura said calmly, laying her hand on Naru’s shoulder. Naru frowned and turned around to Sakura.

 

“I know. But… something feels off. Really off. I’m trying here but I can’t shake this foreboding feeling that-“

 

**Boom.**

 

Half the testing facility was caving in, smoking. Naru looked at Sakura. “Try to get them out, I know you’re not a pro yet but you might be able to do some healing if they're hurt and _be careful._ It could be double rigged,”

 

“What are you doing?” Sakura asked, running toward the wreckage with Naru. Naru grit her teeth.

 

“He’s gone somewhere. I’m going to try to find him,”

 

“Sounds like you could use my help,” Came a low, rumbling voice from behind them. Naru turned quickly and saw-

 

“Pakkun!” She said, blinking in disbelief. Pakkun peered up at her.

 

“You’ve gotten bigger. You’re wider in the shoulders, aren’t you?”

 

“I gained a little weight,” Naru said, shrugging, “But that’s not the issue here! We have to find Mizuki-“

 

“First let’s pull those two people out of the ruin, then we can follow him. We won’t lose his trail with me around, trust me,”

 

Naru nodded, and they entered the exam building. Pakkun found Tsubaki first, she was shaking, and looked distraught. Sakura heaved the woman over her shoulders and carried her out, setting her down a safe distance away. Then they found Iruka, pinned by a boulder but unharmed. He hadn’t injured himself seriously, he was just scraped up, but it was a close call. Naru lifted the rock enough for him to be able to scoot out from under it, and then they both met with Tsubaki and Sakura.

 

“Are you okay?” Naru asked the second she was within earshot of Tsubaki. Tsubaki looked at her curiously and nodded.

 

“I’m fine, I’m fine, but we lost him,”

 

“No we haven’t!” Naru said excitedly, “Kakashi-sensei sent us Pakkun!”

 

Iruka glanced down at the dog. “Kakashi-sensei knows about this mission?”

 

“Kakashi knows you took his students out on it,” Pakkun said plainly. Iruka flushed, but Sakura answered first.

 

“Kakashi-sensei hasn’t been doing much teaching lately, to be bitter about us going out on missions with other ninja,”

 

Pakkun shrugged. “I don’t have a horse in this race,” He said plainly. Naru crossed her arms and squinted at the pug.

 

“Let’s find Mizuki, then we can talk about Kakashi-sensei’s absent ass,”

 

“Don’t talk about your teacher that way in front of me Naru-kun!” Iruka snapped, pointing at her. She threw her hands up.

 

“I’m not doing anything!” She said, “Can we go now? Which way, Pakkun?”

 

“This way,” He said, leading then northeast. Naru began running faster, and faster. Eventually they came to a canyon. “He went through there, but this looks like a trap to me,” Pakkun said, in his monotone way. Naru looked up at Iruka.

 

“I know I promised not to kill him, but I’ll come close if he tries to blow you up again,” She said plainly. Iruka smiled down at her.

 

“I should be the one keeping you safe,”

 

“We’re both Chunin now, Iruka-sensei. I’ll keep you safe too,” She looked back at Sakura.

 

“Hey, Sakura-chan. This is a trap. Iruka-sensei and I will go through, you, Pakkun, and Tsubaki-san will go up and around. That way you can keep tracking him if we get caught... sound... does that sound good?”

 

“Don’t get caught, you idiot,” Sakura said, frowning at her, “And don’t get killed,”

 

“You know that wouldn’t happen,” Naru said, winking and putting her hand to her stomach. Sakura nodded.

 

“Be careful,” She said, reaching forward and squeezing Naru’s hand. Naru squeezed back.

 

“You too,” Naru said. She turned back to Iruka and slammed her fist into her palm. “Let’s get this poppin’,”

 

Iruka nodded, and they all split up. Naru sprinting out a little ahead of Iruka, looking around, sensing for Mizuki’s chakra. She’d feel him before she’d see him. It was a few minutes, the canyon entrance was well out of sight, when she felt that creeping feeling that he was approaching. She signaled Iruka, who looked taken aback, but nodded. They slowed, silencing their footsteps so as to hear better. Naru kept scanning. The feeling in her gut grew stronger, then-

 

“Duck!” She shouted, yanking Iruka aside and out of the way of a triad of Kunai flying at them. Paper bombs were tied to the hilts. She heaved Iruka up and hauled him away as the three bombs went off, effectively cornering them against a cascade of rock from the unstable canyon walls. Naru glared around as the smoke and Dust cleared, coughing. Iruka was coughing too, and they were standing back to back.

 

“This is going to be hard if we can’t kill him,” Iruka said, glaring around. Naru nodded.

 

“Even harder if we can’t see him,”

 

“Can you sense where he is?”

 

“It’s not a freaking compass,” Naru laughed humourlessly, “I just know that he’s close,”

 

“Okay, okay, don’t get an attitude, you’re not too big for detention,” Iruka laughed. There was a moment of silence, then Naru felt irritation rise in her chest.

 

“Hey! Mizukes! My main man! Come out and play. I wanna thank you for my headband. Without your stupid ass I might still be in the academy,”

 

“Naru, what are you-”

 

“Come on, lemme see that big ugly face of yours, buddy!” She bellowed, her voice echoing through the canyon, “I wanna break it!”

 

“You never did learn to shut your damn mouth, brat,” Mizuki said, dropping down right in front of her and seizing her by the hair, his fingers digging into her scalp. She snarled and grabbed his hand, taking some of the pressure off as he lifted her into the air. She kicked out, but he was holding her too far away from himself for her to connect. Iruka moved to hit him, but Mizuki flung him back with all his strength. He’d gotten bigger. Much bigger. He’d obviously wasted no time in prison. He was shirtless, and covered in muscle. He had a curse mark on his forearm, and a wild look in his eyes. He’d been mad before, but now he was entirely unhinged.

 

“I see…” Naru grit out, one eye squeezed shut from the pain of her hair slowly being ripped out of her head, “that you discovered pushups… only took you… what, twenty seven years?”

 

“You’re still a fucking idiot too,” Mizuki growled, making to throw her, but she swung her body up, wrapping her legs around his arm and pulling her hair out of his grip. She bit his hand, her fangs sinking into his skin as he tried frantically to shake her off. She leveraged herself further up his arm and began kicking out at his face, connecting twice before he slammed himself into the ground, forcing her to let go as all the wind was knocked from her. She moved to roll over, gasping, but he grasped her ankle, dragging her backward and swinging her hard into the canyon wall. Iruka came at him, throwing knives and punches. It was obvious he was out of practice. Mizuki blocked all of them easily then grabbed him around the neck, pulling him in close to his face.

 

“Pathetic, pathetic, as usual, Iruka, _darling_ ,” He snarled. Naru struggled to get upright, wincing as she moved. Ribs bruised, maybe fractured, and a concussion at least. Mizuki kept speaking, “You’ve gone soft behind that desk of yours. Not that you were all that much to start with. What’s that old saying? Those that can’t, teach?”

 

Naru did get up at that, and full body tackled Mizuki, sending all three of them sprawling in the dirt. Iruka drew in a rattling gasp, and Naru clambered on top of Mizuki, grasping his long white hair and smashing his head as hard as she could into the ground, once, twice, three times. His eyes rolled back, and she made to do it again, but Iruka hooked his hands under her arms and drew her back, off of him.

 

“Naru! Naru! No! We swore we wouldn’t kill him!”

 

“I never said I wouldn’t turn him into a vegetable! Let me at him!” She screamed, screwing her face up and aiming kicks at the man’s legs as Iruka dragged her off of him.

 

“Naru! Stop it!” Iruka snapped, shaking her a little. She took a few, shallow breaths, then looked up at him.

 

“Are you okay, Sensei?”

 

“I’m fine, you weird little… I don’t even know what you are,”

 

“The Sage calls me a hellion, but I don’t know what it means,” She said, her voice oddly calm, but hoarse as she looked at the man’s unconscious body. Iruka laughed in an exhausted, breathy way.

 

“That… That’s just about right,” He said. They were quiet for a moment, looking over at Mizuki’s unconscious form, feeling something wasn’t quite right. Naru felt a tingle deep in her spine.

 

“Iruka-sensei! Run! Now!” She spat, jumping to her feet and hauling her with him, sprinting away from the body. There was an explosion, and the canyon began caving in around them.

 

“What the hell is happening?” Iruka yelled. Naru planted her hands on the small of his back and pushed him to run faster.

 

“He rigged the whole place to blow! He wasn’t unconscious, he detonated the trap he set for us!” Naru snapped, “I don’t know how he did it, but I knew this stupid shit was too easy. No man who broke out of prison would go out that quiet,”

 

“Quiet?” Iruka barked as they made it into the woods and began running up along the path that Pakkun and Sakura had taken, “You call that quiet?”

 

“You’ve been in the classroom too long, Iruka-sensei!” Naru said as they ran along. Iruka shot her a sidelong glance.

 

“Fieldwork has done you a lot of favours, Naru,”

 

She looked up at him and smiled, shrugging, “Classrooms aren’t for everyone. I’ve been lucky. I’ve had good teachers,” She said. Iruka smiled and ruffled her hair.

 

“Yeah, you definitely got lucky, Kakashi-sensei and Jiraiya-san,”

 

“And you,” Naru added. Iruka pursed his lips and nodded.

 

“I think I got lucky there, Kiddo,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: I Hope You Dies, Lipstick Homicide
> 
> Iruka: Nothing's Over, Young The Giant
> 
> Sakura: My Best Friend's Hot, Dollyrots (not really i just love this song)


	134. Sakura, Going Back On Your Word

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hey kids! can you spot the two (2) times people went back on their promises this chapter?
> 
> uh warning for gore? like worse than the show, I guess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just. So. :/ about today.

Sakura was sprinting after Naru and Iruka, who’d caught up to and outstripped them after their fight. Naru was moving like she was hurting, her ribs specifically seemed to be causing her trouble. Anyone who knew her less than Sakura did wouldn’t be able to tell, she was making a big show of being tough, but Sakura knew Kurama wasn’t doing his damn job. 

 

Tsubaki was being very quiet. Sakura knew an assassin when she saw one. Tsubaki was definitely a covert operative. Everything she did was calculated. She didn’t seem like an unpleasant person, just… detached. But that black eye…  _ How’d a woman like this get mixed up with a guy like Mizuki? _

 

She looked up at Naru and Iruka.  _ How’d a guy like Iruka-sensei get mixed up in all this too? _ Sakura remembered Mizuki. He had seemed like a good guy. A clever man. A good teacher. She guessed that was why. She let her eyes fall back to Naru, and the scar on the back of her neck. 

 

_ Guess strength has nothing to do with it. _

 

**_I’m a waking manifestation of repression and I could have told you that, Sakura, honestly. You call yourself a genius?_ **

 

_ Not a genius! I just try, that’s all. _

 

**_Yeah, well try letting me out for a minute. I wanna crack open a barrel of whoop ass on this Mizuki bastard._ **

 

_ I’ll let you out when we find him. I’m trying to keep everyone on earth from knowing that we’re unstable. _

 

**_We are not unstable. We’re perfectly functional! I ask nicely to kill people and you let me sometimes. Definition of stability._ **

 

_ I’m… I don’t think it is, Ibara. _

 

**_Why is Naru moving like that? I don’t like it._ **

 

_ She’s hurt, we went over this… Have you been sleeping this whole damn time? _

 

**_Just resting my eyes._ **

 

_ You don’t have eyes! _

 

**_But why hasn’t she healed yet?_ **

 

_ I guess the injury is severe enough that the Kyuubi can’t heal it quickly. _

 

**_Well what use are you! Making me stare at all those textbooks, can’t you go up and fix her? Go help the four legged fuck._ **

 

_ I can’t just charge up and start healing her, you freak. What will that look like? _

 

**_It’ll look like you’re more help than you’re currently being, that’s for sure._ **

 

_ Stop being an asshole. _

 

**_I literally… can’t. My entire being is just being an asshole and liking girls. There’s nothing else here._ **

 

_ That’s not true. You also say dumb stuff all the time. _

 

**_Aw, thanks. The way you managed to suppress enough negative emotions to literally create another personality and still managed to come out the other side a massive jerk will never cease to amaze me._ **

 

_ Big talk coming from a girl who just admitted she’s just a byproduct of my bad attitude. _

 

**_Shut up._ **

 

_ You’re the one who butted in. now go rest your non-existent eyes for a minute. I’ll call you when I need you. _

 

**_Whatever._ **

 

Sakura picked up the pace, drawing even with Naru and Iruka and catching her teammate’s attention. Naru nodded and drew back level with her.

 

“What is it?” The Chunin asked, brow furrowed. Sakura gestured to the girl’s side.

 

“Do you need healing?”

 

“No, I’m fine, you know I’m fine,”

 

“Liar,” She whispered, checking over her shoulder at Tsubaki, who was watching them carefully. Sakura looked at Pakkun, catching his eye and then flicking her gaze back to Tsubaki. Pakkun got the message, and went to speak to her. Sakura turned back to Naru, and placed her hand gently on the side that she suspected may have been broken. Naru made no noise, but her knuckles went white, and when she spoke again, her words were quick and through gritted teeth.

 

“I’m fine, Sakura-chan. Really. Save your chakra,”

 

_ There it was. The reason she’s acting tough. _

“Shut up, stupid,” Sakura whispered, checking over her shoulder at Tsubaki and Pakkun, then up at Iruka, before pressing her hand to her side and starting to push her chakra into Naru’s bones. 

 

It was still not a sensation she was yet used to. It was like pushing her hand down on a cluster of hot sewing needles stuck into something only semi-soft, like the forest floor. She supposed it would get easier with time and practice, it was made even harder by the fact they were moving, but there was no way in hell that Naru would hold still long enough for her to fix her up. Not that she could do much, not compared to what the demon fox could do, or Tsunade, but she’d be damned if she wasn’t going to at least get it moving a little faster. Naru sucked in a sharp breath, and Sakura looked around again. No one had noticed. 

 

“There,” Sakura hissed, smirking. Naru shot her a sidelong glance.

 

“You shouldn’t have wasted that on me. You know I heal regardless,”

 

“But you feel pain all the same. I’m still no good at fighting, not really. You’re my heavy hitter,” Sakura said, “For now, anyway,”

 

“Sakura-chan, I’ll always be your heavy hitter,” Naru laughed, bumping her shoulder into Sakura’s arm. Sakura couldn’t help the grin that spread over her features. Her mother had always told her to smile in a demure way, like a lady, but she couldn’t help herself. Naruto Uzumaki made her grin like an idiot.

 

“We’re close,” Pakkun said from his place in Tsubaki’s arms. Sakura squinted at him.  _ Did he really talk his way into a lift? What a little monster.  _ “Prepare yourselves,”

 

“Oh trust me,” Naru laughed, gripping her fists and tensing her muscles, “I’ve been prepared,”

 

“You got your ass kicked like, forty minutes ago,” Sakura said. Naru rolled her eyes.

 

“More like an hour,” Tsubaki said with a smile. Sakura laughed. Naru pursed her lips.

 

“I kicked his ass back,” She said, “Iruka-sensei, didn’t I kick his ass back?”

 

“You did very well,” Iruka said, scanning the area carefully, “I’m proud,”

 

“See?” Naru hissed at Sakura and Tsubaki, who were both smiling, “At least someone has my back,”

 

“Please focus,” Pakkun said wiggling a little in Tsubaki’s grip, making himself more comfortable. Tsubaki giggled. 

 

“Oh will you stop it you big ham- Oh, look, there’s the idiot. Hey! Idiot! Ready for round two bitch?” Naru yelled, leaping down as the other three all groaned, and landing in front of Mizuki, who was looking… massive. And shirtless. With an oversized Shuriken strapped to his back.  _ Why was he shirtless? _

 

“Well, well, I didn’t kill you. I had hoped I had, but I guess the Jinchuriki of the Hidden Leaf won’t die that easy, huh?”

 

“I won’t die at all! People keep fucking trying though!” Naru said brightly, placing her hands on her hips and squaring up. Iruka leapt down next to her and struck a more appropriate defensive stance.

 

“Naru, stop it,” He hissed, pulling out kunai and glaring at his Ex-Boyfriend. Naru bent and snarled. 

 

“If you say so, Sensei,” She said. Ibara was scrambling to get to the surface, but Sakura didn’t let go of the controls. 

 

Mizuki made the first move, aiming a crushing blow at Naru, one she barely dodged. She ducked in and landed three quick, successive punches against his ribs, then duked out from under his outstretched arm. She circled behind him and produced two clones, one of whom started forming a rasengan as Naru kept moving, pulling out a kunai that Mizuki knocked out of her hands, making her stumble back. He planted a foot forward and picked a clone up by her throat, throwing her bodily into the third, both of whom dispersed. Naru braced her arms on the ground and kicked one of his knees out, but he landed on his other leg, and swatted Iruka’s shuriken out of the air like flies. He kept his eyes on Iruka as he shortstepped and stomped on Naru’s chest, smirking. Sakura made to jump down and attack, but Tsubaki held her back. Ibara screamed in frustration.

 

“Wait,” The older woman hissed, “Just wait,”

 

Naru grinned as the massive man tried to crush her chest, and conjured a rasengan behind his ankle. She smashed her hands together around his knee, and he yelled out in pain, stumbling backward on his shattered limb and swaying. Naru scrambled back to her feet and smiled, her fangs seeming a little more prominent than before.  But then Mizuki took his shuriken off his back and in a flash hurled it at Iruka. Naru sped to her teacher’s side, pushing him out of the way and Sakura screamed as the shuriken lodged itself in her chest. Naru toppled over backward, and Sakura ripped herself out of Tsubaki’s grip, rushing to her friend. Mizuki noticed her for the first time, and she could sense him stepping toward her. She looked up, moving to draw a Kunai, but Tsubaki was standing there, her eyes full of anger, and a knife buried deep in her fiance’s heart. He was looking down at the place where he’d taken the knife in shock, and then he looked up at her, eyes popping.

 

“The biggest mistake of your life was joining Orochimaru,” Tsubaki spat, “But the second was asking _ me  _ to marry you,” She ripped downward with the knife, eviscerating him. “Now die in the dirt like the worm you are,” she kicked him over backward, his open chest cavity no longer containing what it should have held, as it spilled out with the force of her kick. Blood poured from his mouth, and he stopped moving. Sakura turned back to Naru, who was slowly pulling the shuriken from her own chest, her jaw clenched with the effort. Sakura rushed to help her, discarding the thing and bringing Naru’s head up onto her lap, putting her hands out, starting the healing jutsu and pouring everything she had into it. Naru laughed, a little blood trickling out of the corner of her mouth.

 

“Sakura, quit fussing, I’m fine,”

 

“You’re an idiot, that’s what you are,”

 

“I think…” She said, shifting and spitting her blood out on the ground before looking up at Sakura again, “Maybe I should invest in some armour,”

 

“No shit,” She said, shaking her head as the wound in Naru’s chest knit closed. Naru reached up and pulled Sakura’s hands to her sides, smiling her bloodied smile and shaking her head.

 

“I’m fine, don’t worry,” She said. She sat up gingerly and began dusting herself off. “Iruka, are you okay?”

 

“Are you joking me right now?” Iruka said, his hands shaking, “Don’t you ever,  _ ever  _ pull anything like that again!”

 

“You sound just like Shika-kun,” Naru said, putting her hand over her chest and feeling the fresh scar there, “ _ and  _ Bright eyes. I’m  _ fine _ ,”

 

“Who?” Iruka asked, getting up and helping Naru to her feet. Sakura got up, walking over to Tsubaki, who was staring at her lover’s dead body, and wrapped her arm around her.

 

“Hyuuga Neji and Nara Shikamaru,” Sakura said plainly. “They both have made her promise-”

 

But Iruka was staring at Naru, a strange expression on his face, “I’m going to buy you ramen. And you are going to tell me  _ everything, _ ”

 

Naru looked over her shoulder at Sakura and Tsubaki, and made a nervous face at them. Sakura made one back. Pakkun padded up to them and yawned. 

 

“We should head back and let them know we took care of him,”

 

“ _ We _ ?” Naru snapped, glaring at Pakkun, “Who the fuck is  _ we _ ? You didn’t even run the whole way here!”

 

“I thought he was very helpful,” Tsubaki said calmly. Pakkun nodded at her.

 

“Thank you,”

 

Sakura couldn’t help but smile at Naru’s scandilised expression. They all started out, back to the village, leaving the butchered form of Mizuki behind them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sakura: Teach Me To Fight, YONAKA
> 
> Naru: I'm Afraid Of Americans, BONES (UK)
> 
> Tsubaki: Maneater, Blue Eyed Blondes


	135. Naru, And The Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter for the Iruka & Sakura arc, now we're gonna get around to shutting this shit down and starting up the next installment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey folks, I just wanted to say this is a big labour of love for me an I'm glad other people enjoy it. I'm slipping a little on quality, I know, but I'm trying.

They were all seated in Ichiraku’s, and Naru was watching Tsubaki carefully. Dots just weren’t connecting. The woman was nursing her bowl, frowning down into her noodles. She looked a little haunted.

 

“Hey, Tsubaki-san?” Naru said, hesitantly. Tsubaki looked up at her.

 

“Yes, Naruto-san?”

 

“It’s Naru. How come you made us promise not to kill him, if the first thing you did when you entered the fight was turn Mizuki into a jacket potato?”

 

Tsubaki stared at her. Ibara, who had muscled her way out and was shovelling ramen into her mouth on Iruka’s other side, snorted. “Jacket potato,” 

 

“I… at first, in a way, I think I wanted to save him. But when I saw what he did to you, when you pushed Iruka-san out of the way… I knew I had to be the one to do it. I feel better now he can’t hurt anyone else. I guess… I guess I felt like it was my responsibility, as someone who let it all go on too long,” She sighed, “I knew he was a traitor. I just loved him,”

 

“He was lame, and an asshole,” Ibara said around a mouthful of beef, “buy a cat and go be a successful assassin. You don’t need all that romance shit, Baki-chan,”

 

Iruka stared at Sakura’s body, confused, but Naru caught his eye and shook her head. He shrugged and stirred his noodles, hesitating before turning to Naru. 

 

“Now about Shikamaru and Neji,”

 

“Oh, her boyfriend collection!” Ibara said, leaning forward, “Ask her about Kiba too, that’s an interesting one!”

 

“I knew about Kiba-kun, trust me,” Iruka said, turning to Naru with a dangerous glint in his eye, “But  _ boyfriends _ ?”

 

“We are all  _ just friends! _ Iba- Sakura-chan is lying and needs to shut her mouth!” Naru yelled, pointing her chopsticks at Ibara, who was wiggling her eyebrows.

 

“Oh yeah? Tell Iruka-sensei about what they made you promise,”

 

“I promised them I’d stop sacrificing myself so often,” Naru said plainly. Iruka frowned.

 

“You do that often enough that-”

 

“And?” Ibara cackled. Naru shot her a dirty look.

 

“And that I’d get injured less, and that I’d behave myself when I’m gone, etcetera, etcetera. I say a lot of stuff. I’m trying my best here and  _ you are not helping _ ,” she growled, pointing her chopsticks violently at Ibara again. Iruka took hold of her wrist and lowered them.

 

“Naru, don’t point with your chopsticks. It’s rude,” Iruka said sternly, “and I’m glad that your friends care about you, but taking everything into consideration here, I think it’s important for you to be aware of other people’s emotions and to act accordingly,”

 

“Aw, come on Iruka-sensei, bring the pain!” Ibara groaned, slumping back and crossing her arms. Naru leapt to her feet.

 

“Whose side are you on, anyway?” She snapped, pointing at her. Ibara leaned back in her chair and grinned her crooked grin.

 

“I’m just here to watch the world burn, and I’m pissed I got benched for the fight,” Ibara said, “Does Iruka know you host sleepovers at your apartment?”

 

Iruka turned to Naru slowly, his eyes flashing dangerously. “You do… what?”

 

“Ibara-chan I’m going to kill you!” Naru yelped, turning around and sprinting away. Iruka stuck his head out of the hut and shouted at her back.

 

“If you think you’re going to get away without me talking to you about this you have another thing coming! And do these boys parents know? I doubt they’re okay with that!”

 

“Thanks for the food Iruka-sensei!” Naru yelled over her shoulder as she rounded a corner. She looped along a few roads and eventually found herself back in front of the library. She hesitated, then ducked in, wandering through the quiet aisles and back to the table where they’d started off. Their books were still there. She sat down and picked hers up, but she’d lost the thread of the plot and now the story seemed disjointed. She tried again and again, moving chapters back, even reading a dirty part (well, skimming it) to try to get back into the swing of the story, but… it was different. She  _ couldn’t _ get back into it. She closed it, and set it down. She felt a gentle rush in her chest, like a deep breath someone else was taking for her, and looked up to see Sakura, or at least, Sakura’s body, staring at her. 

 

“It wasn’t cool to rat me out like that,” Naru said calmly. Ibara shrugged, looking indifferent.

 

“It’s not cool that my best friend is ditching me for three years,”

 

Naru paused, then looked up at Ibara’s face. She hadn’t been aware that either of Sakura’s personalities were upset about her leaving. She frowned.

 

“I gotta go if I wanna get strong enough to get Sasuke back,”

 

“Fuck Sasuke!” Ibara barked, clenching her fists and stepping forward, gritting our her next words through a clenched jaw, “No one in this stupid village even really knows about me besides you. Sakura’s upset too, but it’s different for her. She can have other people. I’ve just got you, Naru! And you’re leaving to go do suicide sprints with an old warty toad pervert so that you can get  _ Sasuke  _ back? Fuck him! Fuck me!” She threw her hands up in the air and turned around, putting her hands on her hips and taking a deep breath. “Sakura keeps saying… that I’m wrong to feel hurt and that you need to do this for yourself. You need to get stronger and you need to learn to protect yourself against Itachi- these fucking Uchiha brothers… damn them all. I don’t care about them. I just… I just want you to stay,” 

 

Naru got up and wrapped her arms around Ibara’s waist, resting her forehead against her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Ibara-chan, but I… I promised Sakura-chan I’d get him back for her,”

 

“She doesn’t want him back anymore! Not like that!” Ibara yelled down the aisle. Naru stepped back a little as Ibara turned and grasped Naru’s shoulders, staring fiercely into her friend’s eyes. “She… she doesn’t like him. She never did. Not really. Not  _ that  _ way. She wanted him because other girls did. She pushed it down- she pushed me down! But I’m here and Naru… Naru… We don’t like boys!”

 

Naru blinked up at her, shocked.  _ Wait… the word for that is gay, right? _

 

“Ibara-chan, it’s not about dating. He’s our teammate. I promised him I’d be behind him no matter what. Sakura-chan loves him like a brother. He’s my rival- no one on this earth can replace him. He’s… He’s my other half. A reflection in a funhouse mirror. My opposite,” Naru took a deep breath, like a weight had been lifted off her chest. “And we’ll always be team seven. So I promised I’d bring him back, and I will,”

 

Ibara paused, and rested her hands on Naru’s shoulders. She stared deep into her eyes, and then leaned forward and pressed her lips firmly to Naru’s forehead. When she drew back, Naru felt her whole face burn.

 

“If he ever hurts you again I’m going to personally rip his eyes out and feed them to him,” Ibara said. Naru laughed. 

 

“The idea of eyes getting gouged really squicks me out. Maybe just regular old kill him,”

 

“Deal,” Ibara said, picking Naru up with a little grunt and plopping her back into her chair, then flopping down into Sakura’s. “I’ll see you later. Being out this long makes me…” She yawned and stretched, “tired,” She closed her eyes, and then they flew open again.

 

“Fucking shit! Ibara! Damn it!” Sakura snapped, slamming her right hand down on the table and frowning. “She’s such a shit!”

 

“Well… she totally snitched my whole life to Iruka-sensei, and now he’s probably going to request I get a tail until I leave, so… yeah,” Naru said, smiling, “but I love her anyway,”

 

“You’re a shit too,” Sakura sighed, leaning back and running her fingers through her hair distractedly. She looked over at Naru. “You don’t… you don’t think I’m weird, do you?”

 

“Sakura-chan, I like girls and have a split soul too,” Naru said, kicking her feet up onto the table and tilting her chair back, “I know you’re weird,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Girls Like Girls, Hailey Kiyoko
> 
> Ibara: It's Just A Lot, K.Flay, 
> 
> Iruka: King And Lionheart, Of Monsters And Men


	136. Jiraiya, Guess Who’s Back, Back Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> short and late, short and late guys

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my boss is a demonic presence in my life

Jiraiya was back in town. And he’d already been slapped twice and had a drink thrown in his face. He loved this place.

 

He’d gotten back late at night, and first checked in with Tsunade. That had earned him the first (and hardest) slap. The second and the drink were when he went to the bar to lick his wounds afterward. He’d gathered enough information to know the akatsuki would likely not be actively seeking out Jinchuriki for another three years. Just enough time to train the brat. Things were working out in his favour, for once. 

 

Naru would have to get very, very strong in a fairly short amount of time. But if anyone was up for it, it was her. She had some strange chaotic energy around her that seemed to make it impossible for her to fail. He wondered, vaguely, if it was the influence of some god, or something or the like. Was it all just… The Kyuubi’s influence? It couldn’t be. The demon fox was sealed away. It had to be something else.

 

He was walking to her apartment. He hoped she’d be there, but there was no saying with that kid. She might be out in the woods bench pressing trees or something. He sighed. He was really setting himself up for something here. 

 

He reached her building and looked up at it. Her window, he knew, was the cleanest and newest. Tsunade had told him it had gotten broken, but he hadn’t managed to get her to tell him how. He quickly performed the necessary hand signs and summoned a toad. He knocked on the shiny window. 

 

It slid open, and she stood in front of him, rubbing her face and yawning. “Hey. Today’s the day, huh?”

 

“Today’s the day,” He said, crossing his legs and leaning his head on his hand. “You ready?”

 

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” She said. She looked around her apartment, which she’d obviously cleaned out. “Just gotta drop my keys off with Shikamaru-kun and I’ll be set,”

 

“Why does he need your keys?” Jiraiya asked, narrowing his eyes, “to throw wild parties in here?”

 

Naru actually snorted at that, almost doubling over as she laughed. “Partying? Shikamaru-kun? That’d be way too much effort for him. No. He’s just gonna water my plants while I’m away,”

 

“Why didn’t you ask your little friend Sakura?”

 

“She’s got that Tsunade internship,” She said, ruffling her hair. “I don’t wanna put even more stuff on her plate,” 

 

“How responsible of you,” Jiraiya said, raising his eyebrows, “Isn’t Shikamaru that little shit from your hospital room?”

 

“Yep, that’s him,”

 

“And he’s just doing this out of the goodness of his heart, huh?”

 

Naru shot him an exasperated look. “No, I’m personally putting him on a payroll. He’s my buddy. He doesn’t mind helping me out,”

 

“Oh, I’m sure,”

 

“Shut up,” She said, reaching up and placing her hand on the window pane. Jiraiya scanned her over. She’d put on a fair few extra pound of muscle since he’d last seen her. She looked even more masculine than before. She tilted her head. “I’ll meet you down there, and then we can go find Shika-kun and get this whole thing poppin,”

 

“Sounds like a plan to me, kid,” He said. She nodded, then shut her window and locked it. He leapt down off the toad and walked back around to the building’s entrance. A minute later, he heard someone slip and fall down the stairs, then slam bodily into the door. There was a small groan, then it opened, revealing Naru, who was rubbing her forehead. “Nice,”

 

“Shut up,” She groused. Jiraiya felt his face split into a grin. 

 

“Okay, where’s this Shikamaru brat?”

 

“At this time of day? Sleeping, maybe cloud watching, if he’s feeling energetic,”

 

“Wow, and this is the man you chose, huh?”

 

“Stop. He’s just a good friend,” She said, shoving her hands in her pockets and hunching over. Jiraiya smiled and patted her on the back.

 

“Okay, if you say so,” He said. Naru paused, looking up at a building to their right. He stopped too. “What is it?”

 

“Do you mind waiting here?” She said, not looking at him. She didn’t wait for a response before she stooped to pick up a couple pebbles and jogged forward. He watched as she tossed one, two, three stones at an upper floor window, until it slid open and Naru’s pink haired friend, Sakura, leaned out.

 

“What’s up?” Sakura said, looking surprised. She didn’t notice Jiraiya. Naru smiled a sad little smile up at her.

 

“I’m leaving today,”

 

“Right… right now?” Sakura squeaked. 

 

“No, but soon, and… and I wanted to say goodbye,”

 

_ I am so using this for my next book… _ Jiraiya thought as Sakura leaned further out the window and frowned.

 

“Well then come up here and say it!” Sakura said. Naru grinned ear to ear and ran forward, clambering up the wall and bracing herself around the window, coming face to face with her friend. Jiraiya crossed his arms and leaned against the wall as they exchanged quiet words, and Sakura wrapped her arms around Naru in a tight and long lasting hug. When Naru finally drew back, Sakura leaned in and kissed her cheek. “And stay out of trouble! I won’t be there to heal you,”

 

“Kurama will be though, I’ll be fine,”

 

“Fuck Kurama, just don’t get hurt,” Sakura laughed. Naru laughed too. There was a pause.

 

“I’ll miss you,” Naru said, just barely loud enough for Jiraiya to hear. He looked away from the two kids, but he heard Sakura’s quiet reply.

 

“We’ll miss you too. I’m already counting the days until you come back,” Another quick hug, then Naru dropped down and ran back up to Jiraiya’s side. She turned over her shoulder and waved at her friend as they walked away, and Sakura waved back, tears falling to the pavement.

 

Naru sniffed loudly and they rounded a corner. Jiraiya didn’t look too close at her face. He didn’t want her to feel self conscious about crying. She was just a kid, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: When The Day Met The Night, Panic! At The Disco
> 
> Jiraiya: One Of The Drunks, Panic! At The Disco
> 
> Sakura: Just One Yesterday, Fall Out Boy


	137. Naru, And The End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naru says goodbye to her friends and her village

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !!!!!! okay guys i’m going camping so i’ll try to update but if I don’t have internet then i’ll just post everything when I get back! 
> 
> thanks to everyone who’s been supportive and put up with this weird mess of a journey. I love you guys and I’m so proud of how amazing and creative and enthusiastic you all are. 
> 
> that being said, i’d like to warn you. I’m not a nice author. that’s all.

Naru walked through Konoha, Jiraiya by her side, and although she asked around, and checked all his favourite spots, she couldn’t find Shikamaru. 

 

She ran into other people though. She waved to the Ichiraku owners. Konohamaru caught up to her and hugged her tearfully.

 

“Next time I see you, you’ll be as tall as I am right now!” She said holding her hand over his head. The little boy sniffed loudly.

 

“That’s not saying much, Naru-nii!”

 

“Keep working on your jutsu, because I’ll kick your butt for that one when I get back,” She said, giving him a light noogie and smiling. He sniffed again.

 

“Be safe!”

 

“You too,” She said as she left him behind.

 

A little lump rose in her throat as she hugged Kiba and Akamaru goodbye, then Hinata, and shook Shino’s hand. She felt the crawling sensation of his tracking beetle moving from her back up his sleeve, and smiled.

 

“You guys stay out of trouble. Save it for when I get back so we can tear it up together again,”

 

“Nah,” Kiba said with a crooked grin, “You’ll just have to play catch-up,”

 

“Catch up to your boyfriend, why dontcha,” Naru teased, flicking his nose. Kiba turned red, but smiled a little.

 

“It’ll be quiet with you gone,”

 

“Yes, It will,” Shino agreed. Naru backed away from them, winking.

 

“Get some rest while you can then. Bye!”

 

The lump stayed there as Lee and Tenten both said their goodbyes. Lee hugging her tightly, tears streaming down his face as he picked her up and spun with her. Tenten punched her arm and told her they’d spar the second she got back. Naru laughed and agreed. 

 

Neji squeezed her hand. 

 

“Remember what I told you,”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” She said with a wry smile, “I’ll behave myself, no drinking,”

 

“No,” Neji said, his face serious, “I meant… I meant when I said that I will still be every bit your friend when you return that I am now,” 

 

Naru looked up at him, and nodded. “Right back atcha, Bright eyes. I’ll see you around. Well,” She smiled again, letting her hand slip out of his as she walked away, “I’m sure you’ll see me first,” 

 

Ino didn’t get too close, but flipped her hair and said a begrudging goodbye. Naru grinned at her, then turned to Choji.

 

“Don’t you change a bit, Champ,” She said, hugging him. 

 

“You neither, pipsqueak,” he laughed, breaking away and smiling at her. He handed her a bag of chips. “To tide you over,”

 

“Thanks, man,” She said. She looked around. “Shika-kun… he’s not with you?”

 

“Sorry Naru-chan! Haven’t seen him all morning,” He said, shrugging. Naru frowned and nodded.

 

“Kid, hurry up. We really gotta go,” Jiraiya said. She frowned and nodded, holding back tears.

 

“Yeah, coming,” She said. She pressed her apartment keys into Choji’s hand. “Give these to Shika-kun, and remind him about my plants when he gets too lazy, okay?”

 

“No problem,” Choji said, smiling at her. She smiled back, and started walking away, toward the gate and her mentor. Just before she crossed the threshold, there was a shout, and quick footfalls. She turned, and saw Shikamaru sprinting toward her, waving on arm in the air.

 

“Wait up! Sunshine!” He called. She stepped forward, grinning as he slid to a halt in front of her.

 

“I thought you weren’t gonna show for a minute there. What are you playing at, procrastinating my goodbye,” She laughed, poking him hard in the chest. He swayed with the force of it and smiled.

 

“I told you, didn’t I?” He reached into his pocket and fished out a little lumpy envelope, waving it in her face, “I was gonna give you your present early this year, so I don’t miss it,” 

 

Naru stared at him, then leapt forward and yanked him into a tight hug. “What the hell Shika-kun, you risked missing me leave just to get some stupid present? You’re so lame!”

 

Shikamaru let out a little laugh. “Ugh, what a drag, you haven’t even opened it and you already think it’s lame,” They split apart, and Shikamaru brought her hands forward, pressing the envelope into them. “Open it,”

 

Naru flipped the envelope open, (he hadn’t bothered to seal it) and a little tangle of black string and two small objects fell into her hand. She blinked, moving the string aside to reveal…

 

“The cassia horse…” She whispered, picking it up. Shikamaru scratched his nose awkwardly and shot her a nervous smile. He’d drilled a hole in it, and it was tied to the string. the other little object was a slice of an antler, about the size of a small coin, and round. Shikamaru held out his hands.

 

“Want me to put it on for you?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“It’s a bracelet, stupid. I made it so it’d get a little bit bigger, I didn’t want you growing out of it while you were off gallivanting around in the world,”

 

Naru flushed and held out her hand. Shikamaru looped the string around her wrist three times before sliding the antler slice through the tightest loop he’d tied in the end of the string. Naru held it up, looking at the little shogi piece hanging from her forearm. She smiled, and wiped her eyes. “Thanks Shika-kun,” she said, “This is the cheesiest thing that’s ever happened to me in my life,”

 

“Whatever,” Shikamaru said, flushing and trying hard not to smile. Naru yanked him in for another tight hug. She smiled into his chest as she felt him hug her back. Suddenly she was being picked up by the back of her shirt.

 

“Okay, that’s enough physical contact for three years, let’s go,” Jiraiya grunted, heaving her along. Naru waved at Shikamaru and the rest of team Asuma as she was dragged away.

 

“I won’t forget my promises, Grumpy!” She called. Shikamaru took a couple steps forward.

 

“I’ll be here when you come back!” He said, hands balled into fists at his sides. She smiled, and Jiraiya set her down outside the gates. She turned, letting her vision trail over all of Konoha as she did. Her mind fell to Sasuke, and the goodbye she wished she could have said to him, the  _ real _ him, not the cursed version. The boy she knew from before the bite.  _ I’ll get you back, Sasuke. I swear. _

 

“It’ll feel like no time at all,” Jiraiya said, resting his hand on her shoulder. She nodded.

 

“Yeah,” She said, “I hope so,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Naru: Supercut, Lorde
> 
> Kiba: I Miss You, Blink 182
> 
> Hinata: Youth, Daughter
> 
> Shino: Walk On By, Cake
> 
> Lee: Little Talks, Of Monsters And Men
> 
> Tenten: sweetener, Ariana Grande
> 
> Neji: Alone Together, Fall Out Boy
> 
> Shikamaru: Almost Lover, A Fine Frenzy

**Author's Note:**

> song for Naru: Buzzcut Season, Lorde. Fri-end, Kate Nash.
> 
> song for Sasuke: Pity and Fear, Death Cab for Cutie. Stupid, Brendan Maclean.
> 
> song for Sakura: My Boy, Billie Eilish. Closer, The Tiny.
> 
> song for Gaara: THISKIDSNOTALRIGHT, AWOLNATION.
> 
> song for Kiba: Mutt, Blink 182. Please Take Me Home, Blink 182.
> 
> Song for Neji: Toe to Toe, Streetlight Manifesto. Tighten Up, The Black Keys.
> 
> Song for Jiraiya: Fortunate Son, Creedence Clearwater Revival.
> 
> Song for Shikamaru: United States of Whatever, Liam Lynch  
> Song for Tsunade: Tear Me To Pieces, Meg Myers
> 
> Song for Shizune: Keep Your Disease, Bloodboy
> 
> i’m drunk


End file.
